West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched a fierce attack on former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee during a discussion on the Home and Hill Affairs Department budget in the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Referring to speeches delivered at the TMC's Martyrs' Day rally a day earlier, Adhikari mocked what he called the party's "lofty claims" and described the previous Trinamool administration as an "established empire of theft" that had been removed from power by the people.

Taking aim at Abhishek Banerjee's reference to "retribution" in the 2031 Assembly elections, Adhikari challenged him to first retain his Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat in the 2029 general elections. He also questioned the significance of making ambitious political statements before a relatively small gathering, claiming that he could draw larger crowds even at gram panchayat-level meetings.

Adhikari then turned his focus to Mamata Banerjee, accusing her former government of administrative cover-ups, institutional corruption and communal polarisation. He cited several cases involving violence against women, including Kamduni, Barasat, Sagardighi, Hanshkhali, Moynaguri and RG Kar, while questioning the previous administration's handling of such incidents.

Speaking about the RG Kar case, Adhikari alleged that the file had been suppressed for nearly a year under the previous government. He claimed that after assuming office, his administration granted the necessary permission within a week and took strict action in the matter.

Adhikari also criticised both the previous Left Front government and the TMC administration, drawing a distinction between their alleged forms of corruption. He claimed that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was responsible for "political corruption" during its 34-year rule, while accusing the TMC of "institutional corruption" during its 15 years in power. He further said that past cases from both periods would be reviewed rather than being allowed to disappear.

Taking another swipe at Mamata, Adhikari referred to the TMC's electoral performance and claimed that the party had lost support even in areas considered its traditional strongholds. He also criticised her past remarks on the Mahakumbh and her opposition to the Ram Mandir inauguration, accusing her of adopting a political approach that had alienated sections of voters.

Adhikari further alleged that the TMC's political base had weakened significantly. He claimed that Mamata had once emerged as a mass leader with the support of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee but later came to rely heavily on the police and the political consultancy firm I-PAC.

He also warned that the TMC could face further political setbacks, saying the Election Commission would ultimately decide whether the party would retain its twin-flower election symbol.

Addressing the TMC's allegations that the state government had attempted to obstruct its July 21 Martyrs' Day rally, Adhikari rejected the claims and said the administration had provided the required permissions and cooperation. He added that future requests for such events could face closer scrutiny, while ending his speech with another sarcastic jibe at the TMC leadership.