TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee slammed the BJP govt for ‘selective action’ after police questioned him over the Camac Street incident. He alleged TMC workers are being harassed while the govt failed to act promptly on previous fire incidents.
BJP’s Action is Selective, Alleges Banerjee
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the BJP government is selectively targeting the Trinamool Congress and its workers, after he was questioned for several hours by the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in connection with the Camac Street incident.
Speaking about the incident on Camac Street and the subsequent police action, Banerjee said TMC workers and supporters were harassed after the chaos on August 27. “On the 27th, all of you saw on the news how our workers and supporters were harassed after the chaos unfolded. If this BJP government had shown the same urgency even a month earlier, the incident at Forence Mansion on Mir Jafar Ali Street could have been prevented. Instead, selective action has become their only priority,” he said.
Questions Urgency of Fire Audits
Banerjee also questioned the urgency shown by authorities in conducting fire audits of TMC offices, alleging that similar action was not taken following earlier fire incidents. Speaking to the media after police questioning, he said, “Even yesterday, our party workers were harassed in the name of a fire audit at TMC party offices. If the BJP had shown such promptness even a month ago, the people who died in the fire incidents at Mirza Ghalib Street and the Tarapith hotels could have been saved.”
Mysterious Fire Destroyed EVMs
He further raised questions over a fire at the Alipore Administrative Building, where the District Magistrate’s office and Zilla Parishad office are located. “When the election results were declared on May 4, within a month a mysterious fire broke out in the Alipore Administrative Building, where the District Magistrate’s office and the Zilla Parishad office are located. The fire spread from the second floor to the ninth floor under unexplained circumstances,” Banerjee said.
He claimed that around 4,000 EVMs, 4,000 ballot units and 4,000 control units were destroyed in the fire. “At that time, no one demanded a fire audit or raised the same questions that are being raised today,” he said.
Focus is to Weaken Trinamool Congress
Banerjee alleged that the authorities’ focus is now on removing TMC signboards, freezing party accounts and targeting the party’s MLAs and MPs. “Today, their focus is on removing Trinamool signboards, freezing party accounts, breaking MLAs and MPs, and trying to weaken the party. They believe that threats and intimidation can decide the future of democracy. I want to remind them that in a democracy, a ruler never speaks the final word–the people speak it,” he said.
Alleges False Cases, Procedural Lapses in Arrests
The TMC MP also alleged that several party workers had been arrested without prior notice and claimed that procedural errors had occurred during the arrests. “If they think they can silence us through false cases and arrests, they are mistaken. We have videos showing what actually happened. Our workers did not attack the police. Instead, we have footage of our supporters being dragged down the stairs by police personnel. The truth exists on record, no matter how hard they try to change the narrative,” Banerjee said.
He also referred to the arrest of a TMC worker Tarik in the same case. “In the same case in which I was summoned, one of our workers, Tarik, was arrested and subjected to custodial torture. He secured bail yesterday, but 12 or 13 others remain in judicial custody,” he alleged.
“Many were arrested without prior notice, and I believe multiple procedural errors occurred. For offences carrying less than four years of punishment, notice should be served before arrest, yet that process was ignored,” he added.
Challenges BJP to Use Central Agencies
Banerjee said he was not afraid of the police questioning and alleged that the authorities were under pressure.
On the BJP state government, Banerjee questioned why there was an alleged rush to target TMC leaders and party institutions if the government was confident of its electoral support. “If the people have truly elected someone, why is there so much fear? Why the rush to target Trinamool leaders, MPs, municipalities, gram sabhas, party offices, and bank accounts?” he asked.
“Let them use the ED, the CBI, the Income Tax Department, or the police–whatever power they have. If they believe they can imprison us through false cases and crush the Trinamool Congress, they are living in a fool’s paradise because the people are not foolish,” he said. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)