Kolkata(West Bengal): TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday lashed out at "1 per cent of the judiciary" for ordering CBI investigation in "every case" in the state. Addressing a rally in Haldia in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee said he had avenged the "harassment" by central agencies by inducting two BJP MPs into the TMC.
"I feel ashamed to say that there are one or two people in the judiciary who are in hand in gloves and have a tacit understanding and are ordering CBI investigation in every case. This is just 1 per cent of the judiciary," he said, without clarifying his allegations. "If you think you will take action against me for speaking the truth, then I will speak the truth a thousand times," he added.
The Calcutta High Court has ordered CBI investigations in a number of cases in the last few months, including the recruitment drives by the School Service Commission (SSC). "The CBI and ED are being misused to threaten us. The Enforcement Directorate tried to harass me by calling me to Delhi twice. I decided to give them a befitting reply by inducting two BJP MPs into the party," he said.
Barrackpore BJP MP Arjun Singh joined the TMC last week, while Babul Supriyo, who was the MP from Asansol, switched over in September last year. "If we open our doors, the BJP would cease to exist in Bengal," claimed Banerjee, the MP of Diamond Harbour. In an apparent dig at Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, he claimed that he had traded the legacy of Medinipur to save himself from the CBI and ED.
"There was a person who acted as a barrier between the government and the party. I have come here to break that barrier. The person has sold his soul, the legacy and the emotion of Medinipur to protect himself from the ED and CBI. He is an ungrateful person," Banerjee said. Referring to the slew of BJP leaders joining the TMC, he said the situation was different before the assembly elections.
Also read: SC directs ED to interrogate TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, his wife in Kolkata
"Almost every day, leaders from different parts of the state left TMC and joined the BJP. However, the picture changed after the results," he said. He said the TMC would give nominations to old-timers in the Haldia civic polls. "Those who have joined TMC from other parties will not get tickets in the Haldia Municipality elections. No contractor will get a ticket. Only those who have toiled for the party for years will be rewarded," he said.
Hitting out at "contractor raj" in the industrial town, Banerjee said he wouldn't allow outsiders to pocket jobs, while the locals suffer. "I will not accept this rule, which allows people from other states to come here, work for eight hours, do overtime for four hours and then pocket wages for 12 hours. On the other side, the locals, even after working for 12 hours, only get wages for eight hours. Locals need to be given their due wages," he said.
"We won't allow contractors to run the show here and sacrifice the interests of the workers. We will stop this contractor eaj in the area in hundred days," he said. Hitting back at Banerjee, BJP claimed that his comments on the judiciary showed the panic in the ruling party.
"The comments show that the TMC leaders have no respect for the judiciary. It also show that the TMC fears that truth might come out due to CBI investigations," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said. State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the court had ordered CBI investigations in cases it deemed fit. "The honourable court has given an order, every citizen of the country has to abide by it and respect it. Such statements from Abhishek Banerjee are unacceptable," he said. (PTI)
