Kolkata:

Trinamool’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee has issued a warning to party leaders: Do not to speak ill of anyone from the medical fraternity or civil society. The message on X comes amid multiple ugly comments by party leaders since his aunt and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had apparently urged them to “hiss”. The Chief Minister has denied making any such comment, but that has apparently not convinced any of her party leaders. 

“Public representatives across party lines need to be more HUMBLE and SYMPATHETIC. I urge everyone in @AITCofficial not to speak ill of anyone from the MEDICAL FRATERNITY OR CIVIL SOCIETY,” the Diamond Harbour MP said. “Everyone has the right to protest and express themselves. This is what sets West Bengal apart from other BJP-ruled states,” he added.

Public representatives across party lines need to be more HUMBLE and SYMPATHETIC. I urge everyone in @AITCofficial not to speak ill of anyone from the MEDICAL FRATERNITY OR CIVIL SOCIETY. Everyone has the right to protest and express themselves- This is what sets West Bengal…

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 2, 2024

On Sunday, Atish Sarkar, husband of a TMC councillor at Habra, had lashed out at protestors. “I will make a distorted picture of your mother and sister and hang it on the door of your house. You will not be able to leave your house,” he said. 

“Remember, our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advised us to hiss at times. If we start hissing, you will not be able to come out of your houses,” he was heard saying at a public meeting in his locality. After the video was widely circulated, the party had suspended him. 

The same day, four-time Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who is also a medical practitioner, issued a statement apologising for her recent derogatory remarks about women doctors that infuriated the medical community. 

At a panel discussion on the horrific rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in a vernacular television channel, the MP had claimed during her days as a medical student, there was a trend where female students secured qualifying marks by “sitting on the lap” of teaching doctors. She also said the students who often protested against that were granted lesser marks. 

She had added that she never imagined the “trend” would ultimately take such a “nasty shape”.

Actor-turned Trinamool MLA Kanchan Mullick questioned whether protesting junior doctors would refuse to accept their salaries and bonuses. “I just want to ask whether people who are on ceasework and opposing the ruling party are accepting their salaries and bonuses? Will people from my fraternity withdraw the awards conferred on them by the state government?” he said at a protest meet organised by the party in Konnagar. 

In another video that was widely circulated on Sunday, a minister of the state, Udayan Guha, is purportedly heard asking party workers to retaliate against political adversaries.

“Some political parties are trying to do politics over the RG Kar incident. If they sting once, we will have to sting five times. If they leave a single tooth-mark, we will have to leave five teeth-marks,” he is purportedly heard saying. 

Trinamool’s Bankura MP Arup Chakraborty said once party workers take a stand and “hiss”, those who are protesting against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital and “misleading people”, will “flee like dogs”.

All of it is apparently a take-off on something the Chief Minister had said a recent meeting last week. But on August 29, Ms Banerjee clarified the remark on X.

“I also clarify that the phrase (“phonsh kara“) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is a need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, a voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” her post read. 

The comments by the party leaders, though, have infuriated the medical community as well as the civil society, who have been on a massive protest over the rape-murder. Despite the Supreme Court’s request to stop the protest and return to work, the doctors have stuck to their course of action. 

Kolkata:

Amid a social media storm over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata, the West Bengal child rights body has taken note of a rape threat to the 11-year-old daughter of Trinamool Congress MP and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Mr Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is effectively the Number 2 in Trinamool Congress.

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken suo motu cognizance of a video on social media from a protest rally over the chilling August 9 incident in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The panel has said that one person in the gathering was heard threatening the minor daughter of Mr Banerjee with rape and publicly announcing a reward of a sum of Rs 10 crore to anyone who commits it.

“Such filthy intention of the miscreant and his indecent remark in public amounts to outraging the modesty of a minor girl and also endangering her safety and security,” the commission has said in a statement.

It called upon police to take action under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice Act and the UN Convention on Rights of a Child.

“While the entire state is mourning the sad demise of the doctor at RG Kar, calling for another rape to settle scores is clearly violative of the law and could send out a dangerous message to society if punitive measures are not taken. This can put not just the minor girl in question but all minor girls at risk,” the commission said.

The child rights body has sought from the police an action taken report in this matter within two days.

Senior Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien took to X to comment on the issue. “Fight us politically with your filthy tricks. You have done it before. But today you have crossed the line. Stop threatening kids. No words enough to condemn the gutter level threats to our National General Secretary’s daughter. STOP THIS NOW,” he said in a post.

Kolkata and surrounding areas are witnessing massive protests over the chilling incident of rape-murder at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The Mamata Banerjee-led state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress are drawing fire for the handling of the matter. The Trinamool Congress supremo has hit back, alleging a nexus between Opposition parties BJP and CPM of creating unrest in the state.

Following a Calcutta High Court order, the investigation into the sensitive case was transferred to the CBI. Before the case transfer, Kolkata Police had arrested one accused, Sanjoy Roy. The CBI is yet to make any arrest.

New Delhi:

The discussion on Budget 2024 in Lok Sabha today witnessed a sharp exchange between Speaker Om Birla and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, when the latter claimed that the House did not discuss the three farm laws that were later rolled back and the Chair stressed that it did.

Mr Banerjee, MP from West Bengal’s Diamond Harbour and the Number 2 in the Mamata Banerjee-led party, said in his speech that the Centre got the agricultural bills passed “without any consultation with farmers, farmer organisations or Opposition parties”.

The Speaker intervened: “Let’s set the record straight, this House discussed the issue for five-and-a-half hours.” When Mr Banerjee stressed that no discussion took place, Mr Birla said, firmly, “When the Speaker speaks, he speaks right. You correct yourself.” The Trinamool MP stuck to his guns, prompting the Speaker to say, “When I speak, I don’t speak wrong.”

Earlier, Mr Banerjee’s address targeted the Narendra Modi government over the Budget and drew a response from the treasury benches, especially BJP MPs from Bengal.

The Trinamool general secretary said the Budget lacked “clarity of vision” and was aimed at satisfying BJP coalition partners rather than providing any relief to the country’s 140 crore people.

“This is a budget planned by two individuals to keep another two in good faith,” he said, adding that it was “planned by two, executed for two”. Mr Banerjee said the “anti-people” budget was crafted to “bribe two political parties and buy time before the government implodes”.

The Trinamool MP was referring to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and JDU leader Nitish Kumar, whose support gave the BJP the required numbers to form the government after its score dropped in this general election. Opposition parties have argued that Budget 2024 was generous for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, ruled by the BJP’s key allies, but other states got nothing substantial.

Earlier today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman slammed the Trinamool’s criticism of the Budget. “Yesterday, the TMC questioned the Budget, saying nothing has been given to Bengal. Let me highlight the fact that several schemes given by the Prime Minister in the last 10 years have not even been implemented in West Bengal. And you have the audacity to ask me now?” she said in Rajya Sabha.

In response, Mr Banerjee threw a challenge, daring the Finance Minister to release a white paper on how much money the Centre has given to Bengal after BJP’s defeat in the 2021 state polls.

The Trinamool MP said the Centre has withheld MGNREGA funds and lakhs of houses sanctioned under the PM Awas Yojana in Bengal are waiting central funds.

Mr Banerjee said that money that should have been used to build homes is “allocated to purchase aircraft worth Rs 8000 crore and construct palatial buildings as part of Central Vista project worth Rs 20,000 crore while poor people of this country still endure homelessness”.

At one point, Mr Birla said members must avoid commenting on those who are not members of Lok Sabha. This drew strong remarks from the Trinamool members, prompting the Speaker to respond sternly.

“I want to clarify, the Chair said we should not comment on those who are not members of this House. I want to ask you, is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a member of this House? Why did they comment? Please maintain the respect of your Chair and make them apologise. Then I will continue, you have to intervene,” he said.

The Speaker replied, “You can continue if you want, I have removed her name from the record, you cannot give directions to me.” At the end of Mr Banerjee’s speech, the Speaker appealed to all members to avoid making remarks on the Chair.

Kolkata:

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday underwent a minor surgery on his back at a Kolkata-based hospital and his condition is stated to be stable, authorities of the medical establishment said.

The 37-year-old Diamond Harbour MP, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was admitted to the hospital in the morning, they said.

“Abhishek Banerjee underwent a surgical procedure and he is now hemodynamically stable,” an official of the hospital said.

The official said that Abhishek Banerjee underwent a minor plastic surgery on his back.

“It was not something very serious… if all goes well, we may consider discharging him this evening itself,” the official told PTI.

Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary and de facto number two in the party, on Wednesday said he would be taking a hiatus from organisational work for some pressing medical reasons.

“In light of some pressing medical reasons, I will be taking a short hiatus from the organisation. This time off will be an opportunity for me to humbly explore and understand the needs of our people and community. I trust that the government of West Bengal will act swiftly and leave no stone unturned to ensure justice for those in need,” he said in a post on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday interrogated Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira for over eight hours in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities in the cash-for-jobs scam, an officer said.

The questioning began around 11 am at the ED’s office at the Central Government Office Complex in the Salt Lake area here and was over at 7.35 pm, he said.

“We questioned her on the basis of our findings in the jobs scam. We asked her about the specific roles of the directors of two companies involved in the alleged scam. She held an important position in both the companies at one point of time. She was interrogated about that too,” the ED official told PTI.

The probe body conducted search operations at several rice mills, besides a few shops in at least four places in West Bengal’s Nadia district in connection with its ongoing investigation into the alleged irregularities, the official said.

Personnel of central forces are guarding the rice mills at Shantipur, Dhubulia, Ranaghat and Krishnanagar, where the search operations are underway.

“A good amount of money amassed from the jobs scam was invested in the rice mills. We have documents to prove that. Today’s raids are being held in this connection,” the ED official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Trinamool Congress’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has suspended the party’s protest against the withholding of funds to West Bengal under central schemes. He, however, said the protests will intensify if no concrete steps are taken by October 31

The protest was put on hold after Governor CV Ananda Bose’s assurance that he would take up the issue with the Centre during his next visit to Delhi.

“We wanted to continue the dharna but since the Governor has showed us courtesy we should return the courtesy,” Mr Banerjee said.

“The Governor has assured us that he won’t take two weeks but will take this up with the Centre in 24 hours. I have heard he has already left for Delhi. I have thanked him. I expect he will find a solution to this since he has already gone to Delhi.  Senior leaders have asked me to lift the dharna and I have spoken to our leader as well,” he said.

“We are lifting the dharna now. We are giving the Centre time till October 31. If there is no answer from the government, we will start a protest again on November 1. And our protest will continue till the funds are released,” he added.

The protest – follow-up of one in Delhi over the same issue — was taking place outside Raj Bhavan. This evening, a Trinamool delegation led by Mr Banerjee had met the Governor.

Mr Banerjee’s leadership during the ongoing protest in Mamata Banerjee’s absence has apparently cemented his position as the leader of the party. The Bengal Chief Minister is recovering from a foot injury.

Recently, Mr Banerjee has led the protest in the national capital with top Trinamool leaders at side. He has also led the dharna at the Raj Bhavan on the same issue and even led the Trinamool delegation that met the Governor this evening.

Kolkata:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to appear before its officers on October 9 in connection with their probe into the alleged irregularities in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam, a senior official said today.

The probe agency also summoned Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira for questioning on October 11, the official added.

“Our officers will question Banerjee on October 9 and his wife on October 11 in connection with the school jobs scam. Both have been asked to come to our office at the CGO Complex here,” the officer told Press Trust of India over the phone.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate had summoned the TMC leader’s parents Amit and Lata Banerjee to appear before its officers this week in the same case.

The Diamond Harbour MP, who was asked by Enforcement Directorate to appear before it on October 3, had skipped the summons and participated in the party’s protest rally in New Delhi against the BJP-led central government demanding immediate release of central funds allegedly owed to the state.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted relief to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, directing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to take coercive steps against him in connection with its probe into the school jobs scam in West Bengal. The court, however, did not quash the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, filed by the Enforcement Directorate against Mr Banerjee.

The single bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed the ED that no coercive steps can be taken against the Trinamool Congress MP based on the ECIR.

The court maintained that evidence produced by the ED is not sufficient to warrant Mr Banerjee’s arrest.

It also said that the investigation against Mr Banerjee into the alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers in government and government-sponsored schools will continue.

Earlier this month, the TMC national general secretary was questioned by the ED for a marathon nine hours in connection with the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam.

The TMC hailed the high court judgement, while opposition Congress and CPI(M) reserved their comments.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “Though we should not directly comment on the probe and legal matters, but the judgement shows the central agencies have been hounding and harassing Banerjee, as he is a key force behind the battle against BJP’s communal and hatred-filled brand of politics.”

“The court has restrained the ED from harassing him further. Banerjee is helping in the probe and we know he will continue to assist the investigators,” Mr Ghosh added.

Party leader and senior West Bengal minister Sashi Panja said the Diamond Harbour MP has already deposed before the central agencies four-five times, but still “his harassment continues”.

Congress leader Adhir Choudhury told reporters that till Mr Banerjee is acquitted by the court, one should wait.

“The court has made some observations with regard to the probe by the ED. It is not proper to comment more at this juncture,” he said.

Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) central committee member, said it baffles him as to why Mr Banerjee would need “so many rakshakabach” (protective shield) from the court if he is not guilty.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said the court has asked probe agencies to continue their investigation against Mr Banerjee.

“Banerjee has been approaching the supreme court and the high court, seeking shields from probes by central agencies. I will not comment on judicial issues. He is entitled to such provisions,” Mr Sinha said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Senior Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday confirmed that he will appear before the ED on September 13 as summoned by the central agency.

Mr Banerjee, who is virtually the number two in the party, replied in the affirmative when asked whether he would comply with the ED’s summons.

“Yes,” was his brief reply when PTI asked him.

On Sunday, the Trinamool leader posted on ‘X’ that he has been served a notice by the central probe agency to appear before it on September 13 for questioning.

As the day coincides with the first coordination committee meeting of the opposition bloc ‘INDIA’, of which he is a member, Mr Banerjee will skip its first meeting to appear before the Enforcement Directorate, party sources said.

The meeting is slated to be held in Delhi.

“First meet of INDIA’s coordination committee is on September 13 in Delhi, in which I am a member. But, @dir_ed conveniently served me a notice just now to appear before them on the very same day! One can’t help but marvel at the timidity & vacuousness of the 56-inch chest model,” Mr Banerjee posted in a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The summons to the Trinamool MP comes weeks after the central probe agency conducted raids in the office of ‘Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd’ in the city in connection with the school jobs scam. The ED claimed that Mr Banerjee is the chief executive officer of the company.

He had earlier been summoned by the ED several times in connection with a cattle smuggling case. The Trinamool leader declined to appear before the central probe body when it had sent a notice to him in June in connection with the investigation into the money trail in the primary school jobs scam in West Bengal. Citing his busy schedule in the then mass outreach campaign and the July panchayat poll in the state, Mr Banerjee had said that he will be available any time after the rural election.

The Trinamool leader had faced nine hours of questioning by the CBI in the scam in May.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)