After Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal withdraws general consent to CBI
Kolkata, Nov 16: The West Bengal government Friday withdrew the 'general consent' accorded to the CBI to conduct raids or carry out investigations in the state, a top official at the state secretariat said.
The West Bengal government's decision came close on the heels of a similar step initiated by Andhra Pradesh.
After the Andhra Pradesh government's announcement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support to her counterpart Chandrababu Naidu over the issue.
"What Chandrababu Naidu has done is absolutely right. The BJP is using the CBI and other agencies to pursue its own political interests and vendetta," she said.
The general consent was accorded to the CBI by the then Left Front government in West Bengal in 1989.
With Friday's notification, the central agency would henceforth require permission from the state government to carry out any sort of investigation except those ordered by the court, the official said, requesting anonymity.
The CBI functions under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.
In Andhra Pradesh, a 'confidential' government order withdrawing the 'general consent' accorded to the CBI to exercise its authority in the state, issued by Principal Secretary (Home) A R Anuradha on November 8, was "leaked" late Thursday night.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
