Rahul, opposition leaders express support to Mamata's protest against Centre, CPI-M differs

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition leaders on Sunday extended their full support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her sit-in against the Centre over CBI move in the state, saying the happenings in Bengal were part of the unrelenting attack on India's institutions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and DMK leader M. K. Stalin were among leaders who expressed their solidarity with Banerjee in tweets.

However, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury attacked both Banerjee and the BJP accusing both of "drama".

Gandhi, who spoke to Banerjee, said in a tweet that the "entire opposition will stand together and defeat these fascist forces."

"I spoke with Mamata Di tonight and told her we stand shoulder to shoulder with her. The happenings in Bengal are a part of the unrelenting attack on India's institutions by Modi and the BJP. The entire opposition will stand together and defeat these fascist forces," he said. Kejriwal called Modi-Shah duo's action is against democracy.

"Spoke to Mamta didi and expressed solidarity. Modi-Shah duo's action is completely bizarre and anti-democracy," Kejriwal said.

Yadav, who also spoke to Banerjee, extended RJD's support, "BJP has not only venomous and nefarious agenda against opposition leaders but Indian Administrative Service and Police Officers. Might visit Kolkata tomorrow," he said.

Naidu said that, the Modi led BJP is losing all hope after opposition parties started uniting and started to fight together to save democracy.

"The misuse of institutions by the union government to victimise political opponents in States is reaching dangerous proportions. We strongly condemn the incidents happening in Kolkata, a glaring example of how Modi-Shah duo are destroying the institutions. Attacking political opponents in different States, few days before the Parliament elections commence, will have disastrous consequences in the country."

Abdullah said he spoke to Banerjee to to convey the support of National Conference to her protest.

"The use of the CBI as a political tool has crossed all limits as has the Modi government's misuse of institutions. A former CM having such little regard for India's federalism is shocking," he said.

Stalin said he stood with Banerjee in her fight to protect the federal structure of this country and to save democracy. "The independence of every institution has been compromised under this fascist BJP Government."

Yechury said that corruption cases against TMC government in chit fund scam have been public for years but Modi government chose to stay quiet as top mastermind of the scam joined BJP.

"It does a drama to act now, after 5 years, and TMC leadership responds by staging a drama to protect its corrupt. This drama in Kolkata by BJP and TMC is not a fight for any principle but only to save their corrupt and hide their corruption. CPI(M) has fought both these undemocratic, corrupt, communal and dictatorial regimes in the Centre and the state and will continue to do so," he said.

In an unprecedented confrontation with the Modi government, Banerjee began a sit-in on Sunday in Kolkata accusing the Centre of trying to run a parallel administration in states, saying there is a "constitutional break-down" after an ugly face-off between the CBI and the state police.

The showdown started after the federal probe agency's officers showed up near the residence of Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who has been under the scanner in connection with the CBI probe into the ponzi scheme scam case.

The events are expected to cast a shadow on the budget session of parliament on Monday with the opposition expected to vociferously raise the issue.