The West Bengal Assembly,  passed the resolution under Rule 169 against ‘excess use of central investigation agencies’ in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the move by the ruling Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) and asked if Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will bring a resolution against the judiciary next.

“SSC scam, coal, and cattle smuggling cases, the disproportionate rise in wealth of Mamata Banerjee’s immediate family, have all been handed over to central agencies, who have found voluminous proof of wrong doing, at the behest of Courts. Will WB CM bring a bill against judiciary too?” asked BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya, ahead of the resolution on Monday. West Bengal is the first state to pass a resolution against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and other probe agencies.

Joy Prakash Majumdar, TMC leader alleged that the BJP is government is usssing central agencies against political opposition. “ED abd CBI are making a narrative. High Court, SC ordered CBI to probe Narada scam, chit fund scam. But Suvendu Adhikari got respite? What kind of investigation is this? Investigation has to be impartial. But Modi and Amit Shah are saying opposition-free India today. Tomorrow, they will say loktantra mukt Bharat.”

Majumdar alleged that the BJP is scared that it will not return to power in 2024. The ongoing row began after West Bengal’s parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said that Bengal will be the first state to bring such a resolution. He claimed that the opposition, which includes the BJP in West Bengal, can take part in the discussion on the resolution when it is tabled.

TMC’s decision comes at a time when several party leaders, including former ministers are being probed by the CBI and ED in connection with alleged cases of corruption.