BOLPUR: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday took the state government head-on, saying the Centres requisition of three IPS officers was well within the federal structure, daring the state to cite which rules had been broken. His comment drew a sharp response from chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who called the transfers a blatant misuse of emergency provisions of the law, aimed at demoralising officers serving in Bengal. The state government would not allow this brazen att-empt by the Centre to control the state machinery by proxy, she added. She tweeted her thanks to the several opposition leaders who had supported her anti-federalism charge over the last two days. The state had conveyed its inability to relieve the trio Rajeev Mishra IGP, South Bengal; Praveen Tripathi, DIG, Presidency Range; and Bholanath Pandey, Diamond Harbour SP on the ground that the directive went against the bas-ic tenets of federal structure. The three IPS officers were in charge of BJP president J P Naddas security on December 10, when stones were thrown at his convoy en route to a rally in Diamond Harbour. The Centre has requisitioned the three officers within the framework of the federal structure, Shah said on Sunday. If the state feels the Centres letter to the IPS officers contravenes the federal structure, it can cite the rules under which it does, he challenged. On Sunday, CM Banerjee took to Twitter to reiterate her stand on the issue. Centre is brazenly interfering with the State governments functioning by transferring police officers. My gratitude to Bhupesh Baghel, Arvind Kejriwal, Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot and M.K. Stalin for showing solidarity to people of Bengal and reaffirming their commitment to federalism. Thank you! she wrote. Four chief ministers Punjabs Amarinder Singh, Delhis Arvind Kejriwal, Chhattisgarhs Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthans Ashok Gehlot had backed Banerjees stance on the IPS transfer issue on Saturday. On Sunday, DMK president M K Stalin and former union minister Yashwant Sinha also lent their weight behind Banerjee on the issue. NCP leader Sharad Pawar even spoke to her over a larger opposition alliance against the Centres repeated interference in state issues. The Centre has turned down the Bengals governments objection to relieve the three IPS officers. The state government has indicated that it would move Supreme Court if the Centre tried to force its hand. According to the provisions in rule 6(1) of IPS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, if theres a disagreement between the state and Centre, the state is requested to relieve the officer immediately to take up the central posting. On Thursday, the Centre informed the state government and the three IPS officers that the latter were being posted in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development for a period of three to five years. Shah also referred to the J P Nadda incident to argue that the ruling Trinamool was trying to suppress the voice of the opposition in Bengal. Parties have the right to reach out to people in a democracy. The ruling party has the responsibility to ensure that they can do so. But the Trinamool isnt allowing that. Power has gone to their head. We are not going to backtrack, he said.

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Amit Shah rebuts Bengal govts attack on federalism charge - Times of India