Fury gripped Trinamool Congress as ED’s dawn raids on I-PAC’s office and Prateek Jain’s home triggered explosive protests across Kolkata. The party mobilized its vast network, turning outrage into organized demonstrations that dominated headlines.
Thousands marched with placards reading ‘Stop Agency Harassment,’ confronting barricades set up by authorities. The raids zeroed in on alleged money laundering trails linked to political funding, with ED carting away crucial data from I-PAC’s high-tech setup. Prateek Jain, a mastermind behind TMC’s digital triumphs, emerged as the focal point, his interrogation lasting deep into the day.
TMC heavyweights lambasted the move as a ‘cowardly strike’ by the Centre, timed to weaken their electoral edge. Rallies featured impassioned oratory, blending local grievances with national critiques of federalism. Despite minor scuffles, the events underscored disciplined mobilization, a hallmark of Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
I-PAC’s backstory adds intrigue: the firm leveraged big data to flip seats in TMC’s favor, drawing envy from rivals. ED’s findings, though preliminary, suggest irregularities in consultancy fees. TMC dismisses these as smears, vowing courtroom battles and public campaigns.
The protests conclude a chapter but open new ones, with TMC leveraging the incident to portray resilience against odds. Analysts predict this will sharpen electoral discourse, pitting Bengal’s pride against national ambitions. As voices fade, the resolve lingers, setting a tense prelude to future showdowns.