Centre vs Mamata: IMCT caught in the middle of drama; Chief Secretary, MHA exchange fire

two-member Inter-ministerial Central team (IMCT) ventured out on Tuesday morning in Kolkata, only to take a small round in Ballygunjee and return back to ir base. Currently stationed at Border Security Force's Eastern Commands office in city, entry and exit routes to lane that leads to office saw sudden deployment of Kolkata Police officers who put up rail guards and started ir naka checking. However, an hour later, rail guards were withdrawn and beefed-up security of Kolkata Police were where to be seen.

IMCT largely took logistical support from BSF and SSB instead of Kolkata Police, something that did t go well with Bengal authorities, certainly that was put across by Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha in his presser on Monday. Following briefing, IMCT team visited Nabanna, state Secretariat and held a meeting with Sinha.

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MHA writes to CS, alleges obstruction by State

On Tuesday, however, when reports of central team t being allowed to move out were doing rounds, Chief Secretary himself visited team at BSF EC office at Ballygunjee. Ar turn of events saw a letter sent by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha asking state to comply with MHA order. 

“It has been brought to tice of this Ministry that both IMCTs at Kolkata and Jalpaiguri respectively, have t been provided with requisite co-operation by State and local authorities. In fact, y have been specifically restrained from making any visits, interacting with health professionals and assessing ground-level situation. This amounts to obstructing implementation of orders issued by Central government.” stated letter.

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Could've intimated us before, CS hits back

Sinha, on or hand, spoke about state government’s stand. “ Central team held a meeting with us yesterday. We briefed m today also and y wanted to go around Kolkata today. Our government’s stand is, in a set up like this, we would have liked it if we were intimated before y arrived. Chief Minister had written to Prime Minister on this,''said Sinha, who also ted that as per protocol, Central team will meet Chief Secretary first which did t happen. 

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Meanwhile, before presser started, central team finally went out with a cavalcade of cars and escorted by a pilot car of Kolkata Police. team went around major parts of South Kolkata including Gariahat, Santoshpur, Mukundapur and Jadavpur, finally returning back to ir office at Ballygunjee.

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