NIA harassed women in Bhupatinagar: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, April 6 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) personnel harassed local women in Bhupatinagar.

“Women did not attack anyone in Bhupatinagar. NIA actually attacked first. If they go to a residence at odd hours and harass the women, what will they do? Will they sit at home and cover their faces?” the Chief Minister asked while addressing an election rally at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district.

Chief Minister said that the NIA action before the Lok Sabha polls is basically meant to help BJP in East Midnapore district.

“Some firecrackers had exploded in Bhupatinagar. NIA went there in the wee hours and that too before the elections,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister also questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

“We don’t want a BJP-controlled commission. We want an independent and unbiased commission. Arresting leaders and workers of Trinamool before the elections will not be tolerated at any cost, just as the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi is not acceptable,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had accused the ED officials of provoking locals in Sandeshkhali. “They went to Sandeshkhali targeting Shahjahan,” the Chief Minister had said.

The NIA team was attacked by a group of local people in Bhupatinagar in the East Midnapore district on Saturday who had gone there to investigate an explosion which took place in December 2022, killing three persons.

This is the second attack on the central investigating agency in less than three months in West Bengal.

On January 5, ED and CAPF personnel were attacked by the locals in Sandeshkhali in which Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan has been arrested.