Hours after an National Investigation Agency (NIA) team faced violent resistance from local residents during a raid at Bhupatinagar village near Contai in East Midnapore, chief minister Mamata Banerjee charged that the NIA team had harrassed women during the raid. Addressing a political meeting at Baghait ground in Balurghat in South Dinajpur, CM Mamata Banerjee today said: “Who attacked? Women did not attack anyone. NIA attacked them.” “If NIA officials raid houses in a village, torture women at midnight, will they sit idle covering their faces? Will they not resist just to save their modesty? Why do they raid at night?” Miss Banerjee asked.

She added: “They are planning to arrest all TMC booth presidents and agents. Election Commission of India should do their job impartially. We don’t want BJP-led ECI.” The NIA team, which had conducted raids in Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore district on Saturday in connection with its investigation into an explosion which took place in December 2022 that left three persons dead, faced heavy resistance from a group of local people, resulting in minor injuries to an NIA official and damage to a vehicle. The NIA had detained two Trinamul Congress leaders, Balai Charan Maity and Monobrata Jana, accused in the 2022 bomb blast case, during the raid. Miss Banerjee, speaking to reporters in North Dinajpur said: “NIA officials should have informed the police before the raid.” Without naming the Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Miss Banerjee said: “The betrayer, fearing defeat in elections, has started raiding houses at midnight.”

She also said: “ECI has been transferring officials of the state government. Why are officials of Central agencies not being transferred? If you (Modi) have the power to win election, do so democratically. But don’t arrest our party workers. Don’t try to grab Bengal forcibly. A level playing field is a must. BJP wants to defeat TMC at any cost. If Modi does it forcibly in a democratic country I will be campaigning it across the world.” Further targeting Mr Modi at another public meeting at Hemtabad in North Dinajpur, Miss Banerjee said: “If you (Mr Modi) are confident, why are you arresting my part men? The gaddar (betrayer) has instigated Central agencies to make arrests.

He won the Assembly seat against me by creating load shedding (while counting of votes was in progress). A case is pending in the court. Do you (Modi) think people will vote for you? TMC can not be stopped in this way. People will not absolve you.” “BJP is afraid of me. For that BJP is trying to damage the image of Bengal,” she said