Who is Mamata shielding? Herself or top cop, asks BJP leader Javadekar

Addressing media, BJP senior leader Javadekar said: "Whatever is happening in Kolkata and West Bengal is one of a kind. Never before was an investigating team taken into custody by police. It's murder of democracy."

"We want to ask Mamata Banerjee why is she staging dharna, who does she want to shield? Police Commissioner or herself?" he asked.

Never seen a Chief Minister doing dharna to save a police commissioner, he said.

He said the Opposition parties have supported Mamata Banerjee but "who are these people?"

"They are out on bail. Such people are standing together. This is not Mahagathbandhan, they are divided by vision and united by corruption. The corrupt are standing together"

"It is strange that the top police officials are on dharna with the Chief Minister." 

"Mamata is on dharna to save herself. But now she is saving the police commissioner. What CBI is doing is enquiring a Rs 40,000 crore scam," said the BJP leader.

Several opposition leaders, most of them who were seen at the Brigade rally on Jan 19, backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "sit-in" protest against the CBI's move to quiz Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar for allegedly destroying evidences of chit fund scams.

The opposition leaders have ganged up against the BJP, which has been accused by Mamata of using federal probe agency to make political gains in West Bengal in the forthcoming General Elections.

Though West Bengal Congress criticised Mamata, party president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday late night tweeted, "I spoke with Mamata Di tonight and told her we stand shoulder to shoulder with her. The happenings in Bengal are a part of the unrelenting attack on India’s institutions by Mr Modi & the BJP. The entire opposition will stand together & defeat these fascist forces."

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo, Mayawati, who sent an emissary to Mamata's "United India" rally last month, had called the TMC supremo and extended her support.
Supporting the West Bengal Chief Minister, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Akhilesh Yadav, told media, "BJP can't win in West Bengal so they are trying to use CBI." He said the BJP is using it in other states too.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, Arvind Kejriwal, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Tejashwi Yadav, are expected to arrive at Kolkata on Monday to share solidarity with the TMC supremo and support her protest in downtown Kolkata.

Accusing his former ally BJP of "destroying the institutions", Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, tweeted, "We strongly condemn the incidents happening in Kolkata, a glaring example of how Modi-Shah duo are destroying the institutions. Attacking political opponents in different States, few days before the Parliament elections commence, will have disastrous consequences in the country."

"After opposition parties started uniting and started to fight together to save democracy, the Modi led BJP is losing all hope. The misuse of institutions by the union government to victimize political opponents in States is reaching dangerous proportions."

Reportedly, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, Sharad Pawar, DMK chief MK Stalin have also supported Mamata.

National Conference (NC) leader, Omar Abdullah, tweeted "Just spoke to @MamataOfficial didi to convey the support of @JKNC_ as she sits in dharna. The use of the CBI as a political tool has crossed all limits as has the Modi government’s misuse of institutions. A former CM having such little regard for India’s federalism is shocking"
BJP's Rajya Sabha MP, Subramanian Swamy, even said Mamata 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.