No CBI courts operational in West Bengal, says Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that there are no Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special courts operational in West Bengal. He made this comment during a session in the Rajya Sabha on March 19, 2025. His remarks were a response to Trinamool Congress member Saket Gokhale, who highlighted that over 6,900 CBI cases are pending trial. Shah explained that the CBI operates independently of the Ministry of Home Affairs. He accused Gokhale of misleading the house about the nature of the cases. Shah claimed these cases relate to political violence in West Bengal and were opened following Supreme Court and High Court orders. He mentioned that after winning more seats, members of their party faced violence. Gokhale criticized the government’s handling of citizenship applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act, noting that only 350 people received citizenship since the law was enacted. He also pointed to a lack of funding for Bengal, while emphasizing the state's significant borders with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. He contrasted this with funding received in previous years. During the session, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar advised Gokhale to avoid personal attacks and requested he withdraw a comment made about Shah. When Gokhale refused, the remark was officially removed from the record. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju remarked that Gokhale's speech did not contain constructive suggestions and criticized his tone. Gokhale replied that with the upcoming assembly elections, if the BJP does not change its approach, it risks losing support in West Bengal. J.P. Nadda, the Leader of the House, also objected to Gokhale’s language, asking for the term "tadipaar" to be retracted.