News Analysis India

Tag: Abhishek Banerjee

  • Buzz grows on BJP vice-president Mukul Roy’s return to TMC after Abhishek Banerjee’s hospital visit

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: The buzz that BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy may return to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has grown louder since Wednesday’s visit by TMC leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee to the hospital where Mukul’s wife is undergoing COVID treatment.

    According to sources, Abhishek enquired about her health and wished her a speedy recovery. Though Mukul’s wife, Krishna, was admitted to the hospital on May 14, no BJP leader had bothered to pay her a visit. Abhishek’s visit, understandably, has set the alarm bells ringing in the saffron camp.

    Within two hours of his visit, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh changed his schedule and rushed to the hospital. The following day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself dialed Mukul and enquired about his wife’s health. 

    Amid all this, some political observers in the state have linked Abhishek’s visit with one of the statements Mamata made while campaigning for the election, in which she compared Mukul and Suvendhu Adhikari.  “Mukul is facing injustice by them (BJP). He has been fielded in the constituency which is far away from his hometown. What I can say he (Mukul) is much better than him (Suvendu),” she had said. 

    If one reads that statement and Abhishek’s hospital visit together, the panic in the BJP is understandable. “Abhishek’s visit to the hospital was enough to scare the BJP leaders about a possible re-run of the defection episode. And this time, the exodus would be from the saffron camp. If a national vice-president of BJP changes his political allegiance, it will definitely send a wrong message to the electorate and will damage the party’s image nationally,” said Bishnupriya Dutta Gupta, a political science professor.

    “Though we have differences, his (Abhishek’s) courtesy is exemplary,” said Subhrangshu, Mukul’s son, who joined the BJP last year.

  • Disaster Mgt Act should be used against PM for holding poll rallies in Covid time: Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI
    PATHARPRATIMA: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that the Disaster Management Act should be applied against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for “endangering human lives” by organising big poll rallies during Covid spike in West Bengal.

    He said that the Act should also be used against the Election Commission for conducting an eight-phase assembly poll in the state amid the pandemic and all political parties, including his own party, that campaigned during that period.

    The TMC MP, who was visiting cyclone Yaas affected areas here in South 24 Parganas district, made the statement while referring to the Centre’s show-cause notice to former West Bengal’s chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay for allegedly violating the Disaster Management Act by not attending a meeting called by the PM.

    “If Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who was leading several task forces related to COVID management and rehabilitation for the cyclone-affected people, was asked to show cause under Disaster Management Act, shouldn’t the law be applied to the PM and the union home minister for organising big rallies during the COVID spike and endangering human lives?” he said.

    “Remember, the PM said at a poll meeting that he was so happy to see the turnout. He said this when there was a spike in Covid-19 cases,” Banerjee said.

    The issuance of the notice to Bandyopadhyay, who retired on May 31 as chief secretary and then appointed as the chief adviser to the chief minister, showed “vindictive attitude towards West Bengal by the BJP,” the president of the TMC youth wing claimed.

    “Why an upright bureaucrat, who was fighting the COVID-19 battle, should be harassed in this way?” he asked.

    State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew distributed relief materials among the cyclone-hit people of Patharpratima and reviewed the post-cyclone situation in the area.

    About damages of embankments in Sundarbans during cyclones, the MP said, “There has to be a permanent solution to the problem which happens after every such natural calamity.”

    If there is any lapse in constructing or maintenance of embankments, those responsible for it should be sternly dealt with, Banerjee added.

  • Follow lockdown norms, will fight battle legally: TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee to protesting workers

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday urged party supporters to follow the law and refrain from violating the lockdown norms as they demonstrated in various parts of West Bengal against the arrest of two state ministers and an MLA.

    Abhishek, a Lok Sabha MP who is the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said his party will fight the battle legally as it has utmost faith in the judiciary. “I urge everyone to abide by the law and refrain from any activity that violates lockdown norms for the sake of the larger interest of Bengal and its people. We have utmost faith in the judiciary and the battle will be fought legally,” he tweeted.

    I urge everyone to abide by the law & refrain from any activity that violates lockdown norms for the sake of the larger interest of Bengal and its people.We have utmost faith in the judiciary & the battle will be fought legally.
    — Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) May 17, 2021

    Hundreds of TMC supporters gathered outside the CBI office at Nizam Palace in Kolkata and protested against the arrest of senior ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, and TMC MLA Madan Mitra in connection with the Narada sting operation case.

    The CBI also arrested former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee. At one point, the protest also turned violent with TMC supporters pelting stones and trying to breach the police barricade at the Nizam Palace complex’s main entrance.

    Protests were also held in other places in the city, including outside Raj Bhavan, and the districts with TMC workers blocking roads by burning tyres. West Bengal is at present under complete lockdown that began on Sunday in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases.

  • ‘Despite price slash, states to pay double that of Centre for COVID vaccine’: Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday said that the price of COVID-19 vaccine for states has been reduced by Rs 100, but still they are forced to part with double the amount of what the Centre will pay to the manufacturer.

    Serum Institute of India (SII) — the maker of Covishield, the most used vaccine against coronavirus in the country — on Wednesday announced a cut in price of the jab it plans to sell to states to Rs 300 per dose from the earlier Rs 400.

    This follows widespread criticism of its pricing policy as it has sold the initial doses of Covishield to the central government at Rs 150 per dose.

    “After great embarrassment over vaccine prices, the Centre has reduced it for the states from Rs 400 to Rs 300. However, the Centre is still procuring the vaccines for Rs 150, and the states have been forced to pay double the amount. This differentiation is unjustified,” the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour tweeted.

    “Is the PM creating this unjust difference because 63% of India never voted for him?” he asked.

    Banerjee, the president of the youth wing of the Trinamool Congress, also alleged that the Narendra Modi government “is looting the states and taking cut money from vaccines meant to save the people of our country from this devastating pandemic”.

    Interestingly, the BJP during the election campaigning in the state has repeatedly alleged that people of West Bengal have to pay “cut money” (bribe) to get government benefits under the TMC regime.

    Banerjee also demanded one price for vaccines for the entire country.

    The SII, which manufactures the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at Pune, had on April 21 announced a price of Rs 600 per dose for private hospitals and at Rs 400 for state governments and for any new contract by the Centre.

  • ED links Mamta’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee to coal mining scam; alleges his family received funds

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The ED has alleged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s family benefited from illicit funds obtained from certain illegal coal mining in the state under a “deep system” of political patronage driven by a “well-oiled” machinery.

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) made these claims Wednesday in a remand note presented before a special court seeking enhanced custody of West Bengal police officer Ashok Kumar Mishra, also the inspector in-charge of Bankura police station.

    The police officer, apart from TMC youth wing leader Vinay Mishra’s brother Vikas Mishra, was arrested by the ED in a case which has local trader Anup Majhi alias Lala as the prime suspect.

    The inspector was arrested by the ED here on April 3 and the court had sent him to custody till Wednesday.

    The court extended his ED remand till April 12.

    The ED case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was filed after studying a November, 2020 FIR of the CBI alleging a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in the state’s Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol.

    The ED, in the remand note, alleged that certain illegal mining instances were flourishing in the state under the “patronage” of the political party in power.

    The agency connected the policeman to Majhi, Vinay and Vikas Mishra, going up all the way to the Abhishek Banerjee’s family.

    The Diamond Harbour MP has denied these allegations.

    “All coal assets fall directly under Centre and are guarded by the Central agencies.

    If BJP thinks TMC leaders got money from those illegally operating the coal assets, then what’s stopping Centre from investigating all culprits who failed to manage these national assets?” he had tweeted earlier this week.

    He added, “Also it is ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS that according to BJP, Coal Ministry and Home Ministry officials were more keenly following TMC leaders’ orders than listening to their own bosses’ (Read Modi-Shah’s) commands! Whom are you fooling.

    ” The ED said documents seized from Majhi and Niraj Singh showed the former had “maintained detailed coded records in the form of payments made to various entities from the proceeds of crime generated from illegal coal mining”.

    “…it is further revealed that in a span of less than 2 years, an amount to the tune of Rs 1,352 crore has been illegally generated by Majhi through illegal coal mining,” the agency claimed.

    “Investigation also revealed a deep system of political patronage and well-oiled network by which the system was subverted to carry out these illegal activities in a brazen manner.”

    Quoting the recorded statement of an unidentified “close associate” of Majhi, the ED said the alleged kingpin of this coal pilferage scam did his “illegal coal mining business smoothly by managing senior functionaries of the political party of West Bengal though Inspector Mishra.”

    The statement of the unidentified “witness” added, “it is known fact that Vinay Mishra collected money from illegal coal mining of Majhi and his associates for his closely associated political boss in present ruling party; that Vinay Mishra is youth leader of TMC and he is very close to Abhishek Banerjee and that he (Vinay Mishra) is the eyes and ears of Abhishek Banerjee.”

    The ED also annexed the recorded statement of the Inspector where he allegedly stated that “Vinay Mishra was the secretary of TMC and was very close to Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee.”

    The policeman told the ED that he once transferred about Rs 1-1.5 from the state to Delhi allegedly on the directions of Vinay Mishra and this was done under “political pressure and knowing his (Vinay Mishra) clout in the party, he (Inspector Mishra) has to obey him or his career will be finished.

    “He (Inspector Mishra) facilitated in transferring funds through a non-banking channel from India to London for a close relative of Shri Abhishek Banerjee and the funds were transferred by Niraj Singh (Majhi’s accountant).”

    “The message regarding funds transfer to Thailand from India was forwarded to him either by Vikas or Niraj Singh and that the subject transaction of Thailand was related to Rujira Banerjee who is the close relative (wife) of Abhishek Banerjee,” the ED said quoting the statement recorded by it of Inspector Mishra.

    According to the scheme under the criminal provisions of the PMLA, a statement made during investigation under the said law is admissible in the court.

    The agency claimed that documents it seized show that “Majhi assisted in transferring substantial funds derived from the proceeds of crime to Shri Abhishek Banerjee’s close relative (wife and sister-in-law) at London and Thailand.”

    The ED alleged the police Inspector “became the part of evil axis of coal mafia, corrupt politicians and corrupt government servants….and evidence is there about him receiving tainted funds of Rs 168 crore in just 109 days from Majhi and for his political bosses including Vinay Mishra and for himself.”

    “He is a government official but worked closely with the coal mafia and involved in transferring the tainted funds collected from illegal coal mining business to the overseas bank accounts of politically influential persons and their close family members of West Bengal,” the ED alleged.

    The case has picked up political links after Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira was questioned by the CBI some time back.

    The state is in the midst of an eight-phase polling for its 294-seat assembly.

  • Trinamool fighting hard to retain hold over Abhishek Banerjee’s backyard Diamond Harbour

    By PTI
    DIAMOND HARBOUR: The Trinamool Congress is fighting hard to retain the seven assembly segments in Diamond Harbour constituency, represented by TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee in the Lok Sabha.

    Apart from a surge in BJP’s support base, allegations of corruption in Amphan relief seemed to be a cause of concern for the TMC, despite the fact that Banerjee, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew had won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by more than 3.2 lakh votes.

    The Left front led-Sanjukta Morcha’s emergence as a third force has also queered the pitch as young CPM and ISF workers have been fanning out seeking support for their candidates.

    Out of the seven assembly segments in Diamond Harbour constituency, Banerjee had a huge lead in Muslim-dominated Metiaburuz and Budge Budge assembly segments, while he was ahead by a handsome margin in Maheshtala, Bishnupur, Satgachia, Falta and Diamond Harbour, all of which also have a sizeable minority population.

    While the CPI(M) is contesting Diamond Harbour, Satgachia, Bishnupur and Maheshtala, the Congress is fighting from Budge Budge and Falta, while the ISF has put up its candidate in Metiabruz, which is situated in the south-western outskirts of Kolkata.

    Allegations of irregularities in distribution of relief to those affected by the Amphan cyclone, in May last year have rocked the state government with the Calcutta High Court ordering an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

    The BJP top leadership have raked up the allegations in almost every election meeting, while the chief minister Banerjee has asserted that all affected have been given relief with the exception of a few possible glitches.

    There are 17,18,454 voters in the seven segments, with 8,32,059 being female and 8,86,339 male, while there are 56 from the third gender.

    With the Election Commission holding elections in the 31 assembly segments in South 24 Parganas district in an unprecedented three phases, four seats in Diamond Harbour – Falta, Satgachia, Bishnupur and Diamond Harbour will go for polls on April 6 while the voters in Maheshtala, Budge Budge and Metiaburuz will exercise their franchise on April 10.

    “We have got everything, our MLA Dilip Mondal has done a lot of work and we have electricity and good roads, there is peace in the area,” Basudeb Mondal, a local TMC leader at Companypukur village in Bishnupur assembly segment claimed.

    While the infrastructure does indeed look good with smooth roads replacing the older bumpy, pot-holed roads in the area, an undercurrent of discontent is discernible among a section of voters, who complain of partisan relief distribution and lack of jobs even as they also speak of infrastructural development.

    However, many others said that relief and dole had flowed without hitches.

    Habibullah Sheikh, a vegetable seller, said his family received funds from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Rupashri’ scheme for his sister’s marriage.

    TMC flags flutter in most places, but nearby flags with BJP’s lotus symbol, vie to catch the passerby’s eye.

    The CPM’s hammer and sickle however are few and far between.

    Said 25-year-old Palash Mondal, 25, an unemployed youth, “the tradition of having one party rule Bengal for decades should not continue as that breeds corruption and hampers development.”

    “Those who want jobs want a change,” added Mondal, a graduate.

    Discontent against local party leaders seems to have forced TMC to replace four-time MLA Sonali Guha as its candidate in Satgachia, prompting her to join the BJP.

    While this has led to confusion among voters it has also meant the party is a divided house.

    Auto-rickshaw driver Tulsi Pal claimed “many people could not vote in the panchayat elections, hope this time it will be different.”

    Falta, which has a sizable number of factories in the Special Economic Zone there, appeared peaceful with not much political sloganeering on.

    TMC worker Ranjit Das claimed the ruling party is sure of a win there.

    The TMC has fielded rookie Shankar Kumar Naskar from Falta following the death of three-time party MLA Tamonash Ghosh, who did not hide his uncomfortable relationship with the local MP, during the pandemic.

    At Chandnagar village, the air is full of optimism among TMC workers as many feel candidate Pannalal Halder will win handsomely from Diamond Harbour seat, while admitting that the BJP has emerged as the main opponent this time around.

    TMC’s sitting MLA Dipak Halder, who left the party to join the BJP and was nominated by it as its candidate from the seat, was at the receiving end of an attack allegedly by his former colleagues while campaigning at Haridevpur village on Friday.

    The ruling party has denied any role in the assault.

    Busy putting up posters of Mamata Banerjee on roadside walls with “Bangla nijer meyeke chai (Bengal wants its own daughter) written on the posters, Mir Alam Laskar of the TMC charged BJP and its leadership with dividing the riverine community on religious lines.

    “It is because of the saffron party that such things are happening.”

  • Reject outsiders making daily trips to Bengal from Delhi to seek votes: Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI
    TALDANGRA: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said that the upcoming assembly polls is about rejecting “outsiders” who are travelling to West Bengal from Delhi like daily passengers, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The TMC, which has made ‘Bengali pride’ its core poll plank, has tagged the saffron party as a “party of outsiders” as its top leaders hail from outside the state.

    “The daily passengers are claiming that they will make ‘Sonar Bangla’, but why could they not make golden Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh?,” Banerjee asked.

    Abhishek, the nephew of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, said at an election rally here in Bankura district that the PM along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states have been embarking on daily visits to the state from the national capital to campaign for the BJP.

    Highlighting that Mamata Banerjee has already turned the state into ‘Sonar Bangla’ by providing free education, health and ration to the people, the Diamond Harbour MP asked the voters to show gratitude by casting their votes in favour of TMC candidates.

    Alleging that Modi did not keep his assurances like providing jobs and Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of people, the TMC leader said that the chief minister, however, has fulfilled all her promises.

    He said, “the BJP does not have candidates of its own and waits for those thrown out by the TMC for nominating them”.

    Accusing the BJP of copying the TMC’s manifesto, Banerjee said “They are stealing our leaders, manifesto and even songs.”

    The TMC leader claimed that the BJP has promised ‘Annapurna Canteen’ for people by copying the concept TMC’s ‘Maa Canteen’ providing food at Rs 5 per plate, which has already been operationalised.

    The BJP in its election manifesto gave an assurance that ‘Annapurna Canteens’ will be set up in the state to provide cooked food three times a day at Rs 5 per meal.

    Claiming that the central government is selling off enterprises like Air India, Railways and BSNL, he said that “the BJP will sell off the assets of the state if it comes to power in Bengal.”

  • Bhatija and co. swindled central funds worth Rs 10,000 sent for Cyclone Amphan: Amit Shah

    By PTI
    GOSABA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday slammed the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for allegedly “swindling” the money sent for cyclone Amphan relief in the Sunderbans region.

    Criticising the TMC’s “cut money” culture, Shah claimed that “Bhatija (nephew) and company swindled central funds sent for Amphan relief”.

    If voted to power, Shah said the BJP would constitute a committee to probe the alleged siphoning off relief funds.

    “The central government had sent relief funds for the affected people.

    But the TMC leaders siphoned off the funds and did not allow it to reach them.

    “If we are voted to power, the BJP will constitute an inquiry committee to probe corruption in disbursement of funds. All those involved in scam would be sent to jail,” he said while addressing the election rally here.

    “The Centre had sent Rs 10,000 crore for Amphan relief. Did you get a single penny? Where did all the money go? ‘Bhatija’ and company swindled the central funds sent for Amphan relief. We will probe everything,” he said.

    He attacked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government for “not allowing implementation of central schemes in the state”.

    Shah alleged that Banerjee has been working only for her nephew’s welfare instead of the common people.

    “Didi is only interested in making his nephew the next chief minister. Do you want the nephew to be the CM? If not, then vote for the BJP,” he said.

    The Union minister said the BJP is ready to take on the “goons and syndicates” of the ruling TMC.

    “We have to end this syndicate rule of the TMC. We will end this culture,” he said.

    Elections to the 294 assembly seats will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29.

    Votes will be counted on May 2.

     

  • TMC pushed us away to give an edge to Abhishek Banerjee, says Sisir Adhikari

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: Putting rest to speculation of his joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sisir Adhikari, veteran Trinamool Congress on Wednesday said that he is ready to join the party if his son, Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s candidate from Nandigram asks him to. He alleged that his family has been driven out of TMC to give an edge to ‘Bhaipo’ (Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Benerjee).

    “Wherever my son decides, I will go there,” said senior Adhikari while speaking to ANI.

    An ardent Trinamool man, Adhikari said he is shocked that his family has been driven out of TMC to give an edge to ‘Bhaipo’ (Mamata’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Benerjee).

    “I am not a man to go there. We are TMC people. They pushed us away. From last December, we have been abused. I am very much shocked at how the party treated us. She (Mamata Banerjee) has targeted Suvendu to highlight Bhaipo. I will campaign for him,” said Adhikari.

    “My sons would know whether I would join BJP or not. I will support my son. If they ask me to go to PM Narendra Modi’s meeting, I would go. I will join if they ask me,” he said.

    Suvendu Adhikari, former TMC Minister is contesting against Banerjee in Nandigram, the seat going to voting on April 1.

    Launching a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee, Sisir Adhikari said that the chief minister cannot claim the legacy of Nandigram as it was him and his family who fought the Nandigram battle.

    “We brought Mamata Banerjee from Bhawanipore to Nandigram,” said the TMC leader. He also attacked Banerjee for spreading lies about her leg injury.

    Responding to Banerjee’s claim that BJP has caused the injury and that earlier it was TMC now it is BJP who is attacking her, Adhikari said, “Can she open her bandage and show it to people of Nandigram. Can she show X-ray report and apologise to people of Nandigram.”

    “Does a mother or sister show her leg uncovered like this? Sharam Nahi hai (does not she have any shame) I respected her for what she had done. But today I am shocked. How far you can go for politics,” said Adhikari.

    The TMC chief on March 10, had alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning. Banerjee sustained “severe bone injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination. She was discharged from the hospital on March 12.

    Elections to the 294-member state Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

  • Bengal will never bow down before outsiders: TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee attacks BJP

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said his party will not bow down before “outsiders”, and asserted that his aunt and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will win the election battle, no matter what challenges are thrown before her.

    The TMC, which has made ‘Bengali pride’ its core poll plank, has tagged the BJP as a “party of outsiders”, as its top leaders hail from outside the state.

    The TMC MP, who took part in a rally here, also urged people to put up a united fight against the CPI(M) and its ally, the Congress, and claimed that the communist regime had perpetrated atrocities on the poor peasants of the state, citing the Nandigram movement of 2007.

    “We will not bow down before the BJP, we will not bow down before the outsiders,” he said at the start of the rally, which was attended by Mamata Banerjee on a wheel chair.

    The CM had sustained severe injuries during electioneering in Nandigram, where she has crossed swords with her protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari.

    ALSO READ | ‘Injured tiger more dangerous’: Mamata Banerjee leads TMC’s Kolkata march on wheelchair

    Shouting slogans such as ‘Modi babu ashe Modi babu Jay, Bangla nijer meyeke chay’ (PM Modi may come and go, Bengal wants its daughter to rule the state), the Diamond Harbour MP said, “Despite her serious foot injury, our leader has joined the rally. She will conquer the battle notwithstanding her injuries.”