West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has welcomed the decision of AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidu who has barred the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from carrying out any raids in Andhra Pradesh. It may be recalled that AP government has withdrawn the general consent given to CBI to investigate cases in the State in special circumstances. The AP decision triggered widespread speculation on whether it is possible or not.

Some leaders have questioned the relevance of CBN decision as nobody can stop the CBI from probing a case in AP if there is an order from the court. Others have said it is just a procedural aspect that AP has used to blow the issue out of proportions to take political advantage.

The main reason given by AP government is that it no longer wants services of CBI as the national institution itself is caught in internal conflicts and scams. The state contended that it has got ACB of its own to perform the functions of CBI in the state.

While defending Naidu’s decision, Mamata Banerjee has opined that the national institutions in the country are in danger following political interference of PM Modi and the BJP government at the Centre. Naidu has been raising the same issue ever since his visits to Delhi when he blamed Modi for the deteriorating conditions in the Reserve Bank of India, CBI and other central institutions. Mamata’s word of support came for Naidu at a crucial juncture. Mamata is to play an important part in the grand scheme of CBN to put together a national level anti-Modi front for the 2019 general elections.