TMC slams govt for targeting Opp with 'political vendetta'

Trinamool Congress today slammed the NDA government for using CBI against Opposition parties with a "motive of political vendetta" in the wake of the agency registering cases against its Rajya Sabha MP Debabrata Bandopadhyay and others in connection with the LTC scam.
In a statement, TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien said, "We strongly condemn this attitude of using the CBI with the motive of political vendetta against the main Opposition parties. In a democratic setup, this is just not done."
CBI has registered cases against six sitting and former members of Rajya Sabha including Bandopadhyay in connection with the LTC scam in which travel reimbursement was allegedly claimed by them through purportedly forged bills.

Targeting the BJP-led government, TMC statement said, "For years, the Congress government has used the CBI with a political motive. The BJP is following that sickening path.
"We, the All India Trinamool Congress, will fight this in the way we have fought our battles for the last 35 years - politically and democratically."
He said Bandyopadhyay has an "impeccable" track record.

"He is one of the most revered retired IAS officers, who served both the central and the state governments in various senior roles. His career has been without blemish. He is also regarded as the father of the land reform movement in India."

Noting with "concern and disgust", the TMC termed it as a "deliberate attempt to humiliate him".
It further said "this form of petty politics to malign a gentleman with more than 40 years copybook public life. His integrity, credibility and honesty for the last four decades have been unquestionable."
"The new government assumed office a few weeks ago. We were expecting it to start with a positive outlook and take up a developmental agenda. However, we are shocked that a beginning has already been made through rumour, gossip and 'plants' in the media," Derek maintained.
He claimed Bandyopadhyay's residence in Delhi was visited by CBI on the pretext of "collecting some documents" and was done without even talking to the person concerned.