Surjya Kanta Mishra CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra CPM state secretary The state Opposition on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict upholding the Calcutta High Court order directing CBI to investigate the Narada sting case, and demanded a public apology from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for trying to shield the “culprits”. Rejecting the state government’s plea seeking to prevent the CBI probe, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the investigation could continue, and gave the agency one month to conduct its preliminary inquiry. The decision was taken by a three-judge bench after the state government approached the apex court against the Calcutta High Court order passed on March 17. “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must tender a public apology for her remarks against the judiciary, and for her attempts to stand by party leaders who were seen taking bribes in the purported video. She should be ashamed. “If she has any morality, then she should immediately remove the tainted state ministers from her Cabinet and expel other leaders from her party. The ethics committee in Parliament too must initiate action against accused TMC MPs,” said CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the Supreme Court verdict would spell doom for the Trinamool Congress. “First in Calcutta High Court and now in Supreme Court, the state government is facing embarrassment everywhere. The people of the state have lost their faith in Trinamool Congress. This verdict ordering CBI probe into Narada case will further weaken TMC. Tomorrow, we will hold a rally in the city to demand the immediate arrest of accused Trinamool Congress leaders,” Ghosh said. The BJP will also submit a deputation to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, seeking actions against accused state ministers, he said. The state Congress unit has decided to organise a rally on March 25 against the Mamata Banerjee government over the Narada issue. The rally will be taken out from the state Congress Office to Y-Channel in Esplanade at around 2 pm. All senior Congress leaders have been asked to participate in the rally and put pressure on the state government to remove state ministers involved in the Narada case. State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury will lead the rally. Senior Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra said Mamata had no moral right to remain the chief minister. “Without further ado, Banerjee must remove the accused state ministers and expel party leaders who took bundles of cash in front of camera. The Trinamool Congress has conceded a defeat in Supreme Court, and Banerjee has no moral right to remain the chief minister of West Bengal,” the Congress leader said. For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App now

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