Suvendu Adhikari had quit the Trinamool Congress in December. (File)
Corruption allegations against Abhishek Banerjee — the nephew of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, known for her austere image — comprised much of the political thrust and parry today, days ahead of the third phase of assembly elections in Bengal. The BJP charge was led by Suvendu Adhikari — Ms Banerjee’s protege-turned arch rival — and Amit Malviya, chief of the BJP’s IT cell, who accused Mamata Banerjee and her government of being hand-in-glove with Abhishek Banerjee.
Mr Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress in December, upset over Abhishek Banerjee’s rapid rise in the party, said: “Rs 900 crore has reached the nephew in the last 10-12 years by an individual who has been arrested by the police today. Coal mafia Anup Manjhi runs this racket.”
Mr Banerjee, he said, is closely linked to Ganesh Bagadia, who has serious allegations against him. “Bikash Mishra, another ally of nephew, has already been arrested. Police officers and IPS officers are all embroiled,” he added.
“It would be naive to believe that Abhishek Banerjee was presiding over the syndicates and Mamata Banerjee did not know about it. Thus, it’s a question of morality and agencies investigating matters to its logical end, which will be done,” Amit Malviya said.
Mamata Banerjee responded in kind – accusing the Prime Minister and the Union home minister of using central agencies for political vendetta.
“Modi is syndicate number 1 and Amit Shah is syndicate number 2. They are sending agencies to Abhishek’s house, Sudip’s house and to the house of Stalin’s daughter… They are continuously changing police officers,” the Chief Minister said at a political rally in Howrah today, citing raids against the DMK chief.
The BJP has accused Abhishek Banerjee of involvement in the coal scam – the Central Bureau of Investigation has already questioned his wife.
The allegations are that is that coal mafia paid regular kickbacks to leaders of Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress. The money was channelled through Vinay Mishra, who is the general secretary of the Trinamool’s youth wing that’s headed by Abhishek Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee has regularly accused the BJP of using central agencies to settle political scores. In a letter to opposition leaders last week, she wrote:
“The BJP wants to make it impossible for non-BJP parties to exercise their constitutional rights and freedoms. It wants to dilute the power of state governments and downgrade them to mere municipalities. It wants to establish a one-party authoritarian rule in India,” she had also written, adding that it was time for a “united and effective struggle against BJP’s attacks on democracy and the Constitution”.
(With inputs from ANI)