Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday dared BJP to raid her home after Income Tax raids at the homes of her chief proposer in Bhowanipore, Miraj Shah, and Rashbehari Trinamool candidate Debasish Kumar. The CM alleged that the EC had deployed officers with BJP links to selectively raid and arrest Trinamool activists.Speaking at a rally in Uluberia, Banerjee said: “They are threatening everyone. Raids are still happening at our party offices and on our candidates. If you (BJP) have the guts, come to my house. These agencies have come from outside. They have sent people with strong ties to BJP and instructed them to selectively target Trinamool. We know who you are. We have all the details. The BJP won’t stay in power tomorrow — if you don’t work impartially, the people will take democratic revenge.“Trinamool had formally complained to the EC a day earlier, alleging the raids on Kumar’s home and office were conducted without prior notice or summons, and that Section 132 of the Income Tax Act — which permits search and seizure — is meant to be a last resort, not a first step.The party called the operations an attempt to influence voters and demanded an impartial probe, urging the EC to direct the I-T department to take no further action until its inquiry is complete.Banerjee also urged party workers to create parallel ground structures as a contingency.“Women should be part of this. Not all observers are bad, but some are part of ‘Big Brother’s’ extended family and are pressuring SDOs to arrest Trinamool leaders. My candidate was stopped from campaigning for an entire day. Is that not legally wrong? The I-T department should not act as a BJP puppet,” she said.The CM also took aim at the EC over the proposed withdrawal of security cover for Trinamool’s Bhangar candidate Saokat Molla, who holds Z-level protection. “They want to kill Saokat by removing his security. BJP netas roam around with 20–30 cars and central forces, while the ‘BJP Vanish Commission’ is stripping away Saokat’s protection. If needed, I will give up my own security for him. I am not afraid of goons,” she said.
