I-PAC Raid Row: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Kolkata, stated that she gets "reborn" whenever someone tries to hit her politically. Her remarks came a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC, along with the home of its co-founder, Pratik Jain, in connection with a 2020 coal scam case. A massive controversy erupted after Banerjee stormed into Jain's home while the raid was still ongoing. While addressing the rally, Banerjee alleged that the agencies were being used for political benefits, adding that she has every right to defend herself.

What Did Mamata Banerjee Say?

While addressing the rally, the chief minister alleged that the BJP has captured all the agencies, further claiming that the recent assembly polls were rigged. "All agencies have been captured. You forcibly captured Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar. Do you think you can capture Bengal too?" Banerjee asked. "If someone tries to hit me politically, I get politically rejuvenated and reborn," she added.

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“What I did yesterday, I did as the Trinamool Congress chairperson. I have done nothing illegal," the chief minister added. She further alleged that the BJP leaders, including the leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, were also involved in the coal scams.

Difficult, Unfortunate Day: I-PAC

In its first statement on Friday, I-PAC called the raids an “unsettling precedent", further stating that the move should raise serious concerns. "Officials from the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at the I-PAC office and at the residence of our Director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata. It was a difficult and unfortunate day for a professional organisation like I-PAC. We believe this raises serious concerns and sets an unsettling precedent," I-PAC's statement read.

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Several TMC MPs, including Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra, staged a protest outside the office of Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. They were later detained by the Delhi police after being removed from the protest site.