File photo of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Not a single Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court remained functional in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (March 19, 2025).
Mr. Shah was responding to Trinamool Congress member Saket Gokhale’s remarks on the track record of the CBI as “over 6,900 cases” were pending trial. Mr. Gokhale had initiated the discussion on the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the Upper House on Wednesday.
Mr. Shah said the CBI was not under the purview of the Ministry and the discussion pertained to the Ministry’s working and if the member wanted, he could widen the scope to include a host of other subjects.
“I am not here at anybody’s mercy, I have won elections seven times. He is misleading the house, the number of cases he is referring to pertain to political violence in West Bengal and has been registered on the orders of the Supreme Court and the High Court. After we won more seats in West Bengal, people were targeted and killed in booths we had won, women were assaulted. When victims reached the High Court, the probe was given to the CBI. They will not honour the High Court and Supreme Court now? The cases are not reaching a conclusion as there is not a single special CBI court in West Bengal,” Mr. Shah charged.
Mr. Gokhale said that under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the rules of which were notified only before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, only 350 people had received citizenship.
“In 2021, the Union Home Ministry passed a notification to increase the jurisdiction of Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 to 50 km in Punjab and West Bengal. In Gujarat, the jurisdiction was reduced from 80 km to 50 km. We (West Bengal) have the longest International border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. We are a gateway to the Northeast. But how are we treated by the Centre? In 2011-12, Bengal received ₹44 crore under the Central modernisation fund, in 2021-22 it was zero. In 2013-14, ₹59 crore was allocated to Bengal, in 2023-24 it was zero. From 2020-24, we should have gotten ₹160 crore, but have not received a single rupee. In the previous government, the Supreme CourtSC said that the CBI was a caged parrot, we thought things will change with the Bharatiya Janata Party, as it is a party with difference,” Mr. Gokhale said.
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that personal observation of any nature should be avoided and asked Mr. Gokhale to withdraw a remark he made about Mr. Shah. When Mr. Gokhale refused to withdraw the statement, the chairperson said it will be deleted.
“Manipur needed a healing touch. In MHA, ‘Home’ doesn’t literally mean home. It cannot be run in a dictatorial manner,” the member said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Mr. Gokhale did not give a single constructive suggestion and his speech began on a negative note. “Please maintain some standard and decorum in Rajya Sabha. He has lowered the dignity of the Rajya Sabha,” Mr. Rijiju said.
Mr. Gokhale concluded that the Assembly election is due in West Bengal next year and if the BJP does not change its attitude, it will soon become a tadipaar (fugitive) in the State. Leader of the House J.P. Nadda objected to the word being used against the party stating that it should be withdrawn.
Published – March 19, 2025 08:03 pm IST