Mamata Banerjee to Challenge ECI’s ‘Biased’ SIT with Chief Election Commissioner
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced she will meet Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to protest against what she calls a “biased and politically motivated” Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Key Takeaways
- Mamata Banerjee to meet CEC over ECI’s SIT probing attack on Union Minister Nisith Pramanik’s convoy.
- She alleges the SIT is “biased,” formed without state consultation, and is unnecessary as a state SIT already exists.
- The ECI’s SIT includes CBI and NIA officers, aiming for a “free and fair” probe into the Cooch Behar incident.
- TMC denies involvement, accuses BJP of staging the attack for sympathy votes.
The Core Dispute
Banerjee’s strong objection stems from the ECI forming an SIT to investigate the attack on Union Minister Nisith Pramanik’s campaign convoy in Cooch Behar on Monday. She stated her intent clearly to reporters:
“I will meet the CEC and EC Gyanesh Kumar over the biased and politically motivated SIT in West Bengal.”
She emphasised that the state government was not consulted, calling the move unilateral.
“The SIT was formed without consulting the state government. It is a biased and politically motivated move.”
State vs Central Probe
Banerjee argued that the ECI’s intervention is redundant, as the West Bengal government had already constituted its own SIT to probe the incident.
“The state government has already formed a SIT to investigate the attack. The ECI’s SIT is unnecessary.”
She plans to raise this specific issue in her meeting with the election commissioners.
Details of the ECI’s SIT and the Incident
The ECI formed the central SIT a day before Banerjee’s announcement. The team is led by the Cooch Behar Superintendent of Police and includes officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The poll body stated the team was formed to ensure a “free and fair” investigation.
The attack occurred while BJP leader and Union Minister Nisith Pramanik was campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. While Pramanik was unhurt, several of his security personnel sustained injuries.
Political Accusations Fly
The incident has sparked a fierce political blame game. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has categorically denied any role in the attack. Instead, the party has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the incident to garner sympathy votes ahead of the polls .
