Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said if former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee can be arrested in the school recruitment scam, then why cannot Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan be arrested in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) irregularities.

Addressing a Trinamool Congress mega rally in Kolkata, Banerjee said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) performed poorly in the Lok Sabha elections in the state because it “relied on central agencies and money power” to win. “A day after July 21, 2022, the Enforcement Directorate raided Partha Chatterjee's house and arrested him. We do not defend a person who is at fault. We do not tolerate injustice. But, if central agencies can raid Partha Chatterjee's house and arrest him, why should Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan not be arrested for the NEET scam?” she said.

 

Banerjee said, “This is the biggest scam in India since independence. Why this discrimination?” She claimed that the people of the state “taught a lesson to the BJP” in the Lok Sabha elections because its government at the Centre had stopped funds for West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress leader said, “The BJP-led government stopped central funds for West Bengal and the people taught it a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP had set a target of 400 seats but could only win 240 seats in the elections.”

 

Banerjee said, “The BJP relied on the ED (Enforcement Directorate), CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and central forces to win the elections but we had faith in the people of Bengal.” She asked Trinamool supporters to start preparing for the 2026 assembly elections. Banerjee said the party would review the performance of all local leaders in the Lok Sabha elections. She said, “For the last one month, I had taken leave as I was doing a deep analysis of the results and you will see the results in the next three months. Those who have worked against the interests of the party will not be spared.