KOLKATA: Trinamool on Tuesday alleged that the EC had issued instructions via WhatsApp to police observers and central forces to check vehicles of all state govt protectees, including those of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and his wife.The party shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages directing that all netas under security cover be subjected to checks. This also includes Union ministers. CM Mamata Banerjee, however, was excluded. The screenshots also referred to concerns over a “significant amount of cash entering the state during daytime hours”, citing routes through border areas of Jharkhand and Bihar, as well as entry points from Nepal.Addressing a press conference, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh alleged that the move was politically motivated. “BJP knows that its defeat is certain. Trinamool is going to return to office under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee with a huge margin. This is making them panic and attack us brutally. They are misusing the EC for this. They attacked Bengali language, our icons, deleted legitimate voters through SIR. But BJP netas know that despite this, they are losing. So they have issued instructions to police observers and central forces that… they must check all protectees, including their ministers, our neta Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, in full glare,” said Ghosh.State education minister Bratya Basu termed the alleged instructions “autocratic and brazen” and accused BJP of attempting to “create fear and terror” through central agencies. “BJP is trying to terrorise through double Es — the EC and the ED. BJP wants to win Bengal at any cost. It knows it can’t beat Mamata Banerjee, so it is targeting Abhishek Banerjee,” said Basu. “If the EC knows so many details, why don’t they stop the cash before it enters Bengal?” he asked.“People coming from outside should also be checked. PM Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and other BJP netas have been moving around in big convoys. Why shouldn’t those vehicles be checked? Ghosh said
