Says ‘I-PAC Attack Feels Like Rebirth: West Bengal CM leads Kolkata rally against ED raids on I-PAC: West Bengal’s political environment became tense after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a strong speech at a protest rally in Hazra, south Kolkata, on Friday. The speech came in response to the controversy around her presence during the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid on the house and office of Prateek Jain, a leader of the political consultancy firm I-PAC, the day before. The sight of Mamata leaving Jain’s residence holding a green file sparked intense speculation, with the opposition questioning the legality and purpose of her actions.
Addressing the issue directly, Mamata said she acted as the Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
“What I did yesterday, I did in my role as the party’s leader. I did nothing wrong,” she said.
She accused the BJP of a political vendetta, claiming that central agencies were being used to steal TMC’s data and disrupt its election plans.
“You came to steal all my data like a thief. If the Trinamool Congress is not protected, how will I fight for the people?” she declared.
Her speech quickly turned into a broader attack on the BJP leadership.
Mamata urged party workers to stand up more strongly at the grassroots, saying, “We have tolerated a lot. No more.” She warned that any harm to women would be met with retaliation, stating that party workers would “take care of it” if “mothers and sisters” were hurt.
She reiterated her claim that the ED raids were politically motivated, saying the BJP, unable to challenge the TMC politically, was trying to take over the party’s “election strategy” through central agencies.
Mamata also highlighted the large number of people at the rally, saying she walked nearly 10.5 kilometers from Jadavpur to Hazra without realizing how far it was.
She mentioned a past attack at Hazra and compared the rally to a “rebirth.” She also talked about her health, revealing that she still has trouble sleeping because of a head injury.
Expressing anger over what she called harassment by authorities, Mamata mocked what she saw as a biased application of rules, joking that historic figures were “excluded” while political slogans reappeared during elections.
Her strongest warning came at the end of her speech.
“You will stop me for one day, but I will reap the harvest of 100 days,” she said. She added that if she were imprisoned, she would expose her opponents to the world, stating, “An injured tiger is more dangerous than a healthy one.”
Mamata also renewed her criticism of the Centre over pending GST dues, accusing it of withholding funds meant for Bengal’s development for four years.
She said the people of the state would respond in the upcoming Assembly elections.
During the protest march, Mamata named BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Jagannath Chatterjee, warning that she had sensitive information stored on pen drives.
She claimed she was being restrained for the national interest, saying crossing the “Lakshman Rekha” would have serious consequences. Her remarks increased speculation about the green file she was holding during the ED raid.
The TMC has called the ED searches a political vendetta and a misuse of central agencies to silence opposition voices.
Party leaders said the struggle would continue on the streets and through legal means, even as Mamata’s sharp words signaled an escalation in the political battle between the ruling party and the BJP in West Bengal.
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