PM Modi slams TMC for attack on NIA officials

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched an all-out attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress over the attack on National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials in East Midnapore district of West Bengal.

“TMC wants its corrupt leaders to get free license to commit crimes. So, when central investigations agencies arrive here, they attack and threaten the team. TMC is the govt which is hell-bent on destroying the law and order,” the Prime Minister said at a rally in Jalpaiguri. "The TMC is disregarding the law and the constitution of the country," he said. Modi's attack comes a day after a team of NIA officials was allegedly attacked by a mob in East Midnapore district when it had gone there to probe a 2022 blast case. According to the agency, a team member suffered a minor injury and the NIA's official vehicle was also damaged as some miscreants in the crowd attacked them. However, the TMC rejected the allegations with chief minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the NIA officials of attacking the villagers at Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore. "The attack was not perpetrated by the women of Bhupatinagar, but rather by NIA team," she had said at an election rally in South Dinajpur district's Balurghat.

"Will the women sit back if they (NIA) go to their houses at night? They will try to defend themselves?" Banerjee asked.

Her nephew and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged a BJP-NIA nexus in Bengal. "Experience the unfolding alliance between the @NIA_India and @BJP4Bengal, orchestrating conspiracies against Trinamool leaders and the Model Code of Conduct. "While this collusion persists, the ECI stands by, conspicuously silent, neglecting its duty to ensure fair play," Banerjee posted on social media platform X.