The arrest of I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel has ignited a political firestorm, with TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accusing the BJP of using central agencies to intimidate the opposition and manipulate the upcoming West Bengal elections.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, the co-founder of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) -- the consultancy firm of TMC -- raises serious concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.
"The arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, barely 10 days before the Bengal elections, is not just alarming - it shakes the very idea of a level playing field," Banerjee said in a post on X.
"At a time when West Bengal should be moving towards free and fair elections, this kind of action sends a chilling message: If you work with the opposition, you could be next. That's not democracy - that's intimidation," he added.
Banerjee further alleged a "double standard" in the functioning of central agencies.
"Those facing serious corruption allegations seem to find protection the moment they switch sides, while others are swiftly targeted at politically convenient moments. People are not blind to this anymore," he said.
He also questioned the role of institutions during the election period.
"When institutions meant to protect democracy start feeling like tools of pressure, trust begins to erode. On one side, the Election Commission. On the other, agencies like the ED, NIA, CBI stepping in at the most sensitive time. It creates an atmosphere of fear, not fairness," Banerjee said.
Stressing the broader implications, the TMC leader said, "India has always taken pride in its democracy - loud, messy but free. But today, many are beginning to ask: are we still that country?"
"This is bigger than one arrest. It is about whether our institutions remain independent and whether every citizen, no matter their political belief, can participate without fear. Because once fear replaces freedom, democracy becomes just a word," he added.
In a direct message to the Union government leadership, Banerjee said, "To Amit Shah and the BJP's power structure - be in Bengal on the 4th and 5th of May. Come with Gyanesh Kumar and every agency you deploy.
"Bengal will not be bullied, will not be silenced and will not bow. This is a land that answers pressure with resistance and it will show you exactly what that means."
In a major action weeks ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Vinesh Chandel, a director and co-founder of political consultancy firm I-PAC, in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in the poll-bound state.
An official said Chandel was taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Delhi late evening.