West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who began a sit-in protest over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, said on Monday she will continue her satyagraha till the country and its Constitution were "saved".
Banerjee skipped meals and remained awake the entire night on a makeshift dais along with some senior ministers and party members.
"This is a satyagraha and I'll continue till the country is saved," Banerjee told reporters who accompanied her at the place of the dharna.
Banerjee said she was getting calls from politicians, including former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Gujarat MLA and dalit leader Jignesh Mevani.
Asked whether any of the leaders would arrive in the city to meet her, Banerjee said, "I've no idea about that. If someone wants to come, we will welcome them. This fight is not by my party. It is for my government."
Several party supporters from different districts thronged the area, shouting slogans in support of Banerjee. "We have come here in support of our beloved didi. We stand in support of her," said a supporter, Poritosh Sengupta, from Halisahar.
In an unprecedented development on Sunday evening, Banerjee sat on a dharna, protesting the CBI's attempt to quiz Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha scam.
A CBI team, which went to Kumar's residence in the city's Loudon Street area, was denied permission, bundled into police jeeps and were whisked away to a police station. The CBI wants to quiz Kumar, who led a special investigation team of West Bengal Police probing the scam, regarding missing documents and files.
Several political leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister M. Chandrababu Naidu and RJD national president Lalu Prasad, came out in support of Banerjee.
Gandhi called up Banerjee and extended support to her, saying the entire opposition is together and it will defeat the fascist forces.
