Opposition backs Mamata's dharna against CBI; BJP calls it 'alliance of corrupts'

Banerjee, who began dharna on Sunday evening reminding her days as an opposition leader in West Bengal, targeted BJP, which rules the Centre, of using the federal probe agency to disrupt democracy.

The day two of dharna was mainly about the visits of prominent opposition leaders, DMK's Kanimozhi and RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav, whose father and former Bihar Chief Minister, Lalu Prasad, who is serving a jail term in several fodder scam cases.

Tejashwi, who appeared in the dharna stage late in the evening, accused the BJP of "political conspiracy".

"Modi and BJP are harassing all opposition leaders. It is a political conspiracy. Prime Minister will come and go but the constitution will remain, said the young RJD leader.

DMK leader Kanimozhi, who was accused in a 2G scam case but later got acquitted, gave a message of opposition unity. "All opposition parties are united. DMK supports Mamata," daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said.

The Banerjee-CBI-BJP tussle was not restricted to Kolkata only but spilled over to the national capital.

Amid disruptions in the parliament proceedings over TMC MPs protests against the saffron party, anti-BJP leaders like Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal, Farooq Abdullah held a meeting in New Delhi over the West Bengal Chief Minister's unprecedented move against the CBI.

"We want to support Mamata ji on this issue. Same thing had happened to Kejriwal as well. This is a clear cut attack on democratic institution," NCP chief Sharad Pawar said after the meeting.

Not sparing his staunch opponent leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief, Arvind Kejriwal, said: "He has started to target all opposition leaders ahead of the polls. This is not good for democracy. All parties are standing in solidarity with Mamata."

Other opposition leaders like Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BSP supremo Mayawati, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, also backed Banerjee.

Not just opposition leaders but BJP's Rajya Sabha MP, Subramanian Swamy, even said Banerjee is now in an advantageous position in her battle against the CBI and BJP.

"I have seen her succeeding in such battles against the Communist Party. She has an advantage," Swamy said. 

BJP hits back:

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday once again targeted opposition leaders and called them 'an alliance of corrupts' after several of them extended their support to the West Bengal Chief Minister.

"They have emerged as a coalition of the corrupt to save each other," Prasad said while addressing a press conference here.

Prasad also questioned the presence of Rajeev Kumar in the dharna and said he has never seen a police chief sitting on a sit-in protest.

"What is happening? A Police Commissioner is sitting on a dharna with politicians? What is the meaning of this? By sitting on dharna West Bengal CM is following the footsteps of Arvind Kejriwal," he said. 

Mamata Banerjee firm against BJP:

Terming her protest as Mahatma Gandhi's "Satyagraha", Banerjee accused BJP of using probe agencies to target political leaders.

"Whoever is opposing BJP is termed as anti-national and kept behind the bars. We condemn such hatred," the TMC supremo said.

Backdrop of the protest:

The political development took place on Sunday after CBI officials went to Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's house to quiz him over his alleged involvement in chit fund scams.

When the CBI officials reached Kumar's residence, they were whisked away by Kolkata police officers.   

All eyes on courts tomorrow

The central investigating agency on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the state government over its "non-cooperation".

The Supreme Court has asked the probe agency to produce evidence proving Kumar's alleged attempt to tamper evidences in the chit fund scams.

Demanding evidence, the top court said as quoted in media: "If Kolkata Police Commissioner even remotely thinks of destroying evidence, bring the material before this Court. We will come down so heavily on him that he will regret."

The Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to hear immediately the West Bengal government's petition against the attempt by CBI to interrogate the Kolkata police commissioner.

The decision was taken by Justice Shivakant Prasad following an objection by the Centre.

The matter will be taken up on Tuesday.

Images: Avishek Mitra/IBNS