Mamata Banerjee Hits the Streets in Kolkata, Turns ED Raid on I-PAC into Major Centre–State Showdown
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a high-voltage street protest in Kolkata, strongly condemning the Enforcement Directorate raids conducted a day earlier at the city offices of I-PAC.
What began as a law-enforcement action swiftly escalated into a full-blown political confrontation between the Trinamool Congress government and the Centre.
By personally taking to the streets instead of responding through statements or party briefings, Banerjee sent a clear message that her government views the ED action as a serious political provocation.
For the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the raid was not an isolated investigative step but part of what it alleges is a sustained campaign of intimidation by central agencies ahead of crucial electoral contests.
According to official sources, the ED searches were linked to an ongoing financial investigation, though no immediate charges or arrests were announced.
The timing of the operation, however, triggered sharp reactions within the Trinamool leadership. I-PAC, a professional political consultancy, has worked closely with the party in recent years, providing strategic inputs on data analysis, voter outreach, and campaign messaging—making it an important cog in the party’s electoral machinery.
For Mamata Banerjee, the raid raised multiple layers of concern—political, strategic, and institutional.
First, there is the issue of political signalling. Senior Trinamool leaders argue that the raid was meant to send a broader message to the party’s ecosystem—politicians, consultants, donors, and professionals—that association with an opposition-ruled state carries risks.
By targeting an organisation perceived to be close to Trinamool’s campaign planning, Banerjee believes the Centre is attempting to create fear and uncertainty, discouraging collaboration with the ruling party in Bengal.
Second, the chief minister views the action as an effort to disrupt her party’s organisational backbone at a sensitive political moment.
With national elections on the horizon and West Bengal remaining one of the few large states outside the control of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool is keen to maintain full operational readiness.
Any scrutiny of campaign planners or data teams, party insiders say, is seen as a deliberate attempt to weaken the party’s capacity to mobilise voters, shape narratives, and counter its rivals.
Third—and most critically—Banerjee has framed the issue as one of democratic precedent. Addressing supporters during the rally, she argued that the matter goes far beyond Trinamool politics.
In her view, if investigative agencies can freely raid political consultancies today, civil society groups, media organisations, and state institutions could be next. She portrayed the episode as an assault on federalism and democratic space.
“This is not about one office or one party,” Banerjee told the gathering, accusing the Centre of weaponising investigative agencies to silence opposition-ruled states.
Trinamool leaders echoed her charge, alleging that the ED has increasingly functioned as a political instrument rather than an independent agency.
The rally also served a calculated political purpose. By leading the protest herself, Banerjee ensured that the narrative remained one of resistance and strength rather than defensiveness.
The public mobilisation energised party cadres, reassured supporters, and reinforced her long-cultivated image as a leader unafraid to confront New Delhi head-on.
The BJP, however, rejected the allegations outright, maintaining that central agencies are acting strictly within the bounds of law.
Party leaders accused Banerjee of attempting to politicise an investigation and shield questionable practices by turning enforcement action into a street protest.
As the confrontation sharpens, the episode once again underscores the deepening trust deficit between the Centre and opposition-ruled states. For Mamata Banerjee, the stakes extend beyond a single raid.
The battle, she insists, is about defending political autonomy, protecting her party’s operational core, and reinforcing her long-standing claim that West Bengal is being selectively targeted.
Whether the ED investigation results in concrete legal action or fades into yet another chapter of Centre–state friction, one message is unmistakable: by stepping onto the streets, Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that she intends to fight this battle not just in courtrooms, but in the court of public opinion.
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