"Will Erode Respect": Himanta Sarma On Mamata Banerjee's I-PAC Raid Conduct

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her conduct during Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids linked to political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) in Kolkata.

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati on Friday, Sarma said Banerjee's behaviour at the raid sites was deeply concerning and could lead to a loss of public respect. “The way she behaves, her conduct at the crime scene, the manner in which she took away official files, and the use of inappropriate language against the Home Minister are deeply concerning. Such actions are likely to erode public respect for her,” he said.

“I do not wish to comment further, but it is truly unfortunate if a serving Chief Minister resorts to such behaviour, confiscating files and allegedly detaining individuals. This goes far beyond what is acceptable,” Sarma added.

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The remarks came after the ED searches at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain and the firm's office on Thursday ignited high drama, with Banerjee unexpectedly storming into the sites during the raids, alleging that the central agency was trying to seize the TMC's sensitive data ahead of the high-stakes assembly polls.

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The ED has maintained that the operations were part of a probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam, and accused Banerjee of obstructing a lawful investigation, claiming that she and the state police forcibly removed "key evidence" during the raids.

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Sarma further targeted the Mamata Banerjee-led government over the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh, asserting that West Bengal needs a change in governance to address the problem effectively.

“It is very important to work extensively in Bengal, and it is necessary for our party to form the government there. Our team in Bengal is very strong; it just needs one opportunity,” he said. “While development work is happening in Tripura and Assam, it is not happening in Bengal. One of the main reasons is the failure to effectively fight illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.”

He added that if the same firm approach adopted in Assam and Tripura were implemented in West Bengal, the situation could improve.

(With inputs from PTI)