BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya Comments on TMC Corruption Allegations in Kolkata

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 29: Following a police complaint made by Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee’s office against Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim’s staff for allegedly misusing Banerjee’s name to extort money, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said such incidents take place when the “government is on the way to its end.”

On a police complaint filed against Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim’s OSD Kalicharan Banerjee and others, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said, “…These kinds of things happen when a government is on its way to its end and they start speaking against each other…TMC and corruption are synonymous. There is not even a single government officer where corruption does not take place…”

Earlier on Friday, the office of the TMC Lok Sabha MP from Diamond Harbour had logged a police complaint against Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim’s OSD Kalicharan Banerjee and others for misusing Banerjee’s name to extort money from contractors.

Bhattacharya further added that it is Mayor Hakim who needs to decide what to be done in this situation and said that either he has to resign, stick to his seat, or talk to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue. “This is a family matter. Why should the BJP comment on their internal matter? These kinds of things happen when a government is on its way to its end and they start speaking against each other. By making such accusations, Abhishek Banerjee has proved to the people that Kolkata’s most prestigious organisation, where men like Netaji Shubas Chandra Bose used to sit, Firad Hakim’s OSD is taking money and the accusation is made by TMC, not BJP. Abhishek Banerjee is saying that Firad Hakim’s department is corrupt; the other party leaders can say anything about it. It is Firad Hakim who has to decide, either to resign, stick to his seat or talk with Mamata Banerjee,” he said.

The BJP MP further slammed the TMC, stating that corruption and TMC are “synonymous” and that if there is TMC, there has to be corruption. “TMC and corruption are synonymous. TMC is there and there is no corruption; this can’t happen. There is not even a single government officer where corruption does not take place. It is TMC culture,” he added.