West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday amped up her criticism of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), accusing it of acting as a political tool of the BJP to "steal" her party’s internal strategy, a day after the central probe agency raided premises linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its head Pratik Jain.
Speaking at a rally after leading a protest march in Kolkata, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief defended her visit to I-PAC’s premises during Thursday’s raids and alleged that senior BJP leaders in Delhi had received proceeds from the coal scam.
“I can furnish proof before the public if needed,” Mamata said.
She alleged, "ED claimed that they had come to investigate coal smuggling case. But my question is, who gets the coal smuggling money and how? Money goes to Amit Shah through a ‘gaddar’ (Suvendu)’ who is now his (Amit Shah) adopted son.” Suvendu Adhikari is a BJP MLA and the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
"You are fortunate that I am still in office; that is why I have not revealed the pen drives (containing confidential information related to the BJP). If you try to target me, I will make that information public... I know many things, but I choose not to say them in the interest of the country," the TMC supremo said.
The rally comes a day after the she made a dramatic visit to Jain’s residence while the ED was conducting a search operation.
Defending her presence at the raid venue, Mamata said, “ What I did yesterday, I did as the TMC chairperson. I have done nothing illegal... they tried to steal my party's data... If someone comes to kill me, don't I have the right to self-defence?”
“If someone tries to hit me politically, I get politically rejuvenated,” she said.
Banerjee alleged that the BJP won the Maharashtra elections with the help of the Election Commission and was attempting to repeat the same in Bengal in the upcoming polls.
“We will win the 2026 Bengal assembly polls,” she said.
The TMC chief further claimed that the BJP-led government at the Centre would not continue till 2029. "After winning Bengal, we must win Delhi as well," she said, adding, "can't have BJP rule India."
Accompanied by senior party leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs and supporters, the TMC supremo began the march from the 8B Bus Stand area in Kolkata. Supporters raised slogans against the BJP-led central government, accusing it of "misusing central agencies for political vendetta" ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
At the rally, she instructed MP Kalyan Banerjee to make the next destination of protests the Election Commission office.
The chief minister alleged the agency was attempting to seize the Trinamool Congress’s internal documents, hard disks and confidential organisational data that were unrelated to any financial investigation.
Earlier on Friday, several TMC MPs were detained during a protest outside the Union Home Ministry in Delhi, where they were demonstrating against what they allege is the Centre’s misuse of investigative agencies. Banerjee condemned the treatment of her party’s MPs, calling it "shameful and unacceptable" and an "assault" on democratic rights.
In a post on X, Banerjee said, "Dragging elected representatives on the streets for exercising their democratic right to protest outside the Home Minister’s office is not law enforcement - it is arrogance in uniform. This is a democracy, not the BJP’s private property."
Stressing that democracy does not operate on the "convenience or comfort of those in power", the CM accused the BJP of following a double standard, claiming that while its leaders expect "red carpets and special privileges" during protests, opposition MPs are "dragged, detained, and humiliated" for raising their voice. "This double standard exposes the BJP's idea of democracy - obedience, not dissent," she said.
Asserting that respect between institutions and political actors must be mutual, Banerjee said, "You respect us, we respect you."
"Attempts to humiliate elected representatives would be met with a renewed assertion of the constitutional idea of tolerance, dissent, and democratic morality", she added.
"We are citizens by right, not at the mercy of a chair, a badge, or a position of power... No government, no party, and no Home Minister gets to decide who deserves dignity in a democracy," the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, the ED has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI probe against Banerjee, senior police officials and others after facing obstruction during its raids against I-PAC and its director.
The federal probe agency, in its writ petition, claimed that these actions led to a "complete takeover" of its search operation by the "state machinery."
There was "direct" involvement of the highest political executive and abuse of police power, the ED alleged and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
It urged the high court to "direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register FIR(s) and investigate the entire incident, including the role of the present respondents being the chief minister, police officials, and all persons acting in concert."