Party alleges obstruction of probe as TMC MPs protest in Delhi
January 9, 2026: The BJP has launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of obstructing an Enforcement Directorate operation in Kolkata and allegedly threatening central agency officials. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, senior BJP leader and MP Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that investigations are routinely blocked in Bengal, questioning what the chief minister was “trying to hide” and calling the incident unprecedented in independent India.
Prasad alleged that Banerjee’s conduct during the ED operation was unethical, irresponsible and unconstitutional, and said it had “shamed the democratic process.” Referring to the raid at the office of a private company, he questioned why the chief minister appeared “panic-stricken,” claiming she feared that details of alleged scams could emerge. The BJP reiterated its charge that stopping an investigation amounts to a violation of law and asserted that Banerjee would be held accountable by the public.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MPs staged a protest in Delhi on January 9, 2026, outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s office, opposing ED raids at the Kolkata offices of I-PAC and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain. Senior leaders including Derek O’Brien, Mahua Moitra, Shatabdi Roy and Kirti Azad participated in the demonstration. Police later intervened, removing the protesters and detaining Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien as tensions escalated.