TMC criticises Home Ministry for seeking report from West Bengal over attacks on ED teams

'How many reports have the MHA sought from the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, where atrocities on women, Dalits, and lawlessness are rampant?' asked TMC spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya.

Kolkata: Accusing it of bias, the ruling TMC in West Bengal on Tuesday criticised the Union Home Ministry for seeking a report from the West Bengal government on the attacks on Enforcement Directorate (ED) teams in the state.

TMC spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was very prompt in seeking reports on any issue from governments in states ruled by non-BJP parties, but 'astonishingly sluggish' in doing the same when there are law and order issues in BJP-ruled states.

"How many reports have the MHA sought from the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, where atrocities on women, Dalits, and lawlessness are rampant?" he added.

Senior TMC MP Sougata Roy said the ED should have informed the local police before conducting the searches.

"If the MHA has sought a report, the state government will reply in accordance with the law," he said.

In a communication, the MHA has asked the West Bengal government to send a detailed report on the circumstances leading to the attacks that left ED officials injured. It also asked the state government to send details of the action taken following the attacks on the central probe agency teams.

Three ED officials were injured and their mobile phones, laptops and wallets 'looted' when they went to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district to search the premises of Shajahan Sheikh, a leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state, on January 5 in connection with the alleged ration scam.

A second team of the agency was attacked and their vehicle damaged during the arrest of another TMC leader, Shankar Adhya, in Bongaon in the same district on the same day.

The state BJP alleged that the TMC was trying to protect the accused persons.

"It is astonishing that it has been nearly four days, and the main accused Shajahan Sheikh is yet to be arrested. This only reflects how the TMC is shielding the culprits," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.