"Save terrorists, save corrupt, save rapists": BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on TMC''s slogan of 'Ma Mati Manush'

Reacting to the TMC's post on "the murder of democracy" on X, Shehzad Poonawalla said that the death of democracy happens when central agencies such as the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) are attacked in broad daylight.

Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla said, "Death of democracy happens when a team of ED goes to catch people involved in corruption and instead gets attacked in broad daylight. It happens when the NIA team goes to investigate terrorism and instead gets attacked in daylight. It happens when instead of providing justice to the victims of the Sandeshkhali incident, Shahjahan Sheikh gets support from the state government."

"The way rapes and terrorism are defended--this is the definition of the death of democracy. Not just me, but Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, who is a partner of the INDI Alliance, has also said this. This is what the leaders of the left party are also saying," he added.

The BJP spokesperson further questioned and said, "The main question that arises is what the TMC is protesting against at the EC. The action is being taken against the corrupt, against the terrorists, and against the anti-national elements. Why is TMC protecting them?

"Why is TMC going and protesting for them? This means that TMC stands by them. This also makes it clear that the attack on ED on January 5 or the recent attack on the NIA team under Sandeshkhali 2.0 were state-sponsored, state patronised and state-organised attacks by the TMC," said Poonawalla.

"The political slogan 'Ma Mati Manush' coined by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has become 'save the terrorists, save the corrupt and save the rapists under the TMC governance," he added.

This comes after TMC said in a post on X, "What we witnessed today was the murder of democracy! Led by Abhishek Banerjee, a 12-member delegation will meet the Governor at 9 PM tonight. They will reach the North Gate of Raj Bhavan by 8:55 p.m. They will appraise him about the heavy-handed treatment that was meted out to our delegation by Amit Shah's Delhi Police."

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders who were earlier detained for protesting outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) sat inside the premises of Mandir Marg Police Station, pressing their demands to change the chiefs of the CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department.

As per Delhi police, the 10-member delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders were detained on Monday following a protest outside the Election Commission of India over their demands in the national capital.

The opposition leaders were brought to Mandir Marg Police Station partway through their agitation and later asked to leave at night but the delegation did not leave and instead sat inside the premises all through the night.

Those who staged the protest included five TMC MPs Derek O'Brien, Mohammad Nadimul Haq, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghosh.

At the same time, three former MPs, Arpita Ghosh, Shantanu Sen and Abir Ranjan Biswas, were present.

Apart from this, MLA Vivek Gupta and TMC youth leader Sudeep Raha were also protesting

The 10-member delegation went to the Election Commission's office on Monday and submitted a memorandum highlighting that "BJP and NIA have been working hand-in-glove to selectively target and harass our party workers."

TMC urged the poll body to change the chiefs of the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, Income Tax Department and National Investigation Agency. (ANI)