What Are The 'Green Files' Mamata Banerjee Rushed To Secure During ED Raid?
She accused the ED of “stealing” party documents and described Union Home Minister Amit Shah as a “naughty Home Minister”.
The political atmosphere in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, has intensified following recent action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). After the agency conducted raids on premises linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a political consultancy firm associated with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo launched a sharp attack on central agencies and the Union government.
She accused the ED of “stealing” party documents and described Union Home Minister Amit Shah as a “naughty Home Minister”.
ED Raids Premises Linked To I-PAC
The ED carried out searches at the residence of senior I-PAC official Pratik Jain in central Kolkata and at the firm’s office located in the Godrej Waterside building in Salt Lake Sector V. Jain is considered a key member of Mamata Banerjee’s election strategy team.
Soon after news of the raids emerged, large numbers of TMC leaders and workers assembled outside the Salt Lake office.
Mamata Banerjee Targets Centre And Home Minister
Reacting strongly to the ED’s action, Mamata Banerjee directly targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She alleged that the entire exercise was carried out at the direction of “that mischievous Home Minister,” whom she accused of being unable to keep the country safe.
She claimed the central government was attempting to obtain the TMC’s candidate list, party strategy and internal planning documents. Mamata Banerjee further alleged that the ED removed documents from her party office, which, she said, did not even have a security guard present at the time.
Questioning the agency’s mandate, she asked whether it was the ED’s or the Home Minister’s responsibility to seize political documents, candidate lists and party strategy.
Files Allegedly Taken And Moved To Convoy Vehicle
Amid allegations of document theft, it also emerged that some files from Mamata Banerjee’s office were picked up and placed in her convoy vehicle. This has raised questions about the nature of the documents and the urgency with which they were moved.
There has been no official statement from either the TMC or the ED on this issue.
‘They Have Come To Steal The Party’s Strategy’: Mamata
Speaking to the media, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the ED raid was aimed at accessing her party’s internal political strategy. She said it was unfortunate that the agency entered an office linked to the IT sector and attempted to seize documents related to candidate lists, party strategy, planning and other sensitive material.
As tensions escalated at the site, the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner also reached the location.
Long Association Between I-PAC And Mamata Banerjee
I-PAC has been closely associated with Mamata Banerjee as her election strategist in West Bengal for several years. The consultancy played a significant role in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, helping the Trinamool Congress secure a landslide victory against the BJP.
Following that success, the TMC extended its agreement with I-PAC until 2026. The firm also provided strategic support to the party during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.
I-PAC’s Political Journey
The Indian Political Action Committee was founded in 2013 under the name Citizens for Accountable Governance. The organisation works on agenda-setting and election strategy formulation for political parties and leaders.
In 2014, campaigns such as “Chai Pe Charcha”, “Modi Aane Wale Hain” and “Modi Ghar Ghar” were conceptualised by I-PAC. Over the years, it has developed election strategies for political parties across several states, including Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
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