KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she doesn't believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is behind the alleged excesses of central agencies in the state. She instead blamed a section of the BJP leaders for misusing them to serve their interests, adding that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now reports to the Union Home Ministry, controlled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Banerjee, who was speaking on a resolution in the Assembly against the 'excesses' of the central probe agencies, urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the agenda of the union government and the interests of his party do not get mixed up.
The BJP opposed the resolution which was later passed by the Assembly.
"The present union government is behaving in a dictatorial way. This resolution is not against anyone in particular, but against the biased functioning of the central agencies," Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said.
"Businessmen are leaving the country and running away. They are running away because of fear and misuse of ED (Enforcement Directorate) and the CBI. I believe Modi hasn't done this," she told the assembly during a debate before the resolution.
"Many of you don't know that the CBI doesn't report to the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) anymore. It reports to the Home Ministry. Some BJP leaders are conspiring and they go to Nizam Palace often," the Chief Minister added.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said such a "resolution against the CBI and ED" is against the rules and regulations of the Assembly.
The resolution was passed through division, with 189 voting in favour of it and 69 against.
Central agencies such as CBI and ED are probing into several cases in the state, in which senior TMC leaders are accused.
(With online desk inputs)