Mamata Banerjee slams Centre for using probe agencies; 'What urgency in Lalu Yadav case?'

At a time when West Bengal Ministers like Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari are under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee batted for 'autonomy' for Central agencies on May 23. Addressing a public gathering, CM Banerjee accused the Central government of misusing the agencies for their vindicative politics. Citing the recent case lodged against ally Rashtriya Janata Dal's Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Trinamool Congress supremo asked 'What was the urgency?' 

"What was the urgency on Lalu Prasad Yadav? to weaken the opposition parties?" she asked, with a follow-up question- "How many inquiries have been done on their own party members?"

'It's all a conspiracy'

The CBI registered a fresh case of corruption against Lalu Prasad Yadav the very next day after Tejashwi Yadav left for London. Raids were conducted at over 15 locations across India, including Delhi and Bihar in connection with this case, which reportedly pertains to the period when the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government was in power. The CBI has accused Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, and other family members of taking land in exchange for providing jobs when he was the Railways Minister between 2004-2009.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has only recently obtained bail in the last of the five cases related to the fodder scam, in which he served half of the sentence awarded to him. 

After the fresh case was lodged, RJD on its official Twitter handle had averred, "BJP also knows that one personality, one personality who can thwart the plans of Sangh and BJP to come back to power in 2024 by mobilizing all the opposition, is the country's biggest mass leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. Hence, the conspiracy." 

Image: PTI