Kolkata | January, 2026:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday made a pointed public appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid rising political tensions in the state, saying, “I am sorry, Mr. Prime Minister—please control your Home Minister.” Her remarks came in the backdrop of Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids linked to poll strategist firm I-PAC, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Banerjee visited the Kolkata office of the Indian Political Action Committee and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, where searches were conducted by the ED. She alleged that central agencies were being used to target the Trinamool Congress, claiming that sensitive party documents, election strategies, and candidate lists were being seized to influence the electoral process.

Intensifying her criticism, the Chief Minister accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of exercising authoritarian control and using central institutions for political vendetta. She also connected the issue to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, describing it as a “backdoor NRC” and alleging that the names of genuine voters were being removed to favour the BJP.

Following these developments, Banerjee announced a protest march from Jadavpur to Hazra in south Kolkata on January 9 to condemn what she called the misuse of central agencies. The BJP has dismissed the allegations, with Amit Shah stating that the 2026 elections would focus on national security and tackling illegal infiltration, which he claims the TMC government has failed to address.

: “I Am Sorry, Mr. Prime Minister—Please Control Your Home Minister”: Mamata Banerjee Amid Bengal Political Storm

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as political tensions intensified in the state, saying, “I am sorry, Mr. Prime Minister—please control your Home Minister.” Her remarks came after a series of Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Kolkata linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Banerjee visited the I-PAC office and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, where searches were carried out by the ED. She alleged that central agencies were being misused to intimidate the ruling Trinamool Congress, claiming that election strategies, candidate-related documents, and internal party material were being targeted under the guise of investigation.

The Chief Minister also flagged concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, calling it a “backdoor NRC.” She alleged that the process was designed to remove the names of genuine voters and accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of orchestrating the exercise for political gains, describing the Centre’s actions as vendetta-driven.

Following the developments, Banerjee announced a protest march from Jadavpur to Hazra in south Kolkata on January 9 to oppose what she termed the misuse of central institutions. The BJP rejected her claims, with Amit Shah asserting that the 2026 elections would focus on national security and curbing illegal infiltration.