Abhishek Banerjee asks Amit Shah to resign before speaking of ‘clean politics’

Kolkata, Mar 9 (PTI) Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resign if he was serious about promoting politicians with a “clean image”.

Addressing a gathering at the sit-in against the alleged large-scale deletion of voters’ names during the SIR by the Election Commission, Banerjee termed Shah’s call for a “clean and untainted regime” hypocritical and referred to his arrest in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

In 2010, Shah, then Gujarat minister of state for home, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation and lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail in connection with the case. He spent over two months in jail before being granted bail and was later discharged of all charges.

Shah had maintained that the charges were fabricated and politically motivated by the then Congress-led government at the Centre.

“I dare him to resign first before he talks about transparency and a clean image in politics. When he attends rallies in West Bengal, he is surrounded by tainted leaders on both sides. I ask him to set the example,” Banerjee, considered number two in the TMC hierarchy, said.

He claimed that while the Bharatiya Janata Party had used agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI against TMC leaders on corruption charges, the ruling party in West Bengal had acted against those facing probes by removing them from political and ministerial positions.

Banerjee also criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that he had threatened the state administration with transfers and the deployment of police personnel from other states.

He urged the CEC to reconsider steps affecting the electoral rights of voters, particularly those placed under the “logical discrepancy” category in the SIR exercise.

Claiming that lakhs of voters had been affected, Banerjee said around 80 per cent were previously mapped cases where voters or their parents had participated in the 2002 elections.

The Trinamool Congress MP said, “How can you conspire to take away their rights? Under which law of the Constitution?” He alleged a nexus between the Election Commission leadership and the BJP, claiming that the CEC was staying in the same hotel used by BJP leaders during their visits to the state.

Taking a dig at Shah over his remarks on dynastic politics, Banerjee challenged him to introduce a Bill in Parliament allowing only one member from a family to enter politics.

“If such a Bill is passed, I will quit politics,” he said, while questioning the rise of Shah’s son Jay Shah to the top administrative positions in cricket, including chairman of the International Cricket Council and earlier president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Referring to demands by opposition parties, including the BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), to conduct polls in one or two phases, Banerjee said the number of phases would not affect the outcome.

“The last assembly polls were conducted in eight phases. Hold it in as many phases as you want; the result will remain the same,” he said.

On allegations regarding the alleged insult of President Droupadi Murmu during her visit to West Bengal last week, Banerjee accused the BJP of using the high office for political purposes.

He also questioned why the President was not invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building or the Ram Temple.

Referring to remarks by US President Donald Trump on last year’s India-Pakistan tensions, Banerjee claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders had remained silent on the issue.

The TMC leader further alleged that BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh topped the list in crimes against women, and rejected allegations about law and order in West Bengal.

He also appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take care of her health, noting that she had been at the protest site for four days.

“We are on the road. One lakh booth-level agents and lakhs of TMC workers are ready to fight their plans inch by inch,” he said. PTI SUS NN