KOLKATA: Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim has courted controversy by claiming that councillors are unaware of illegal construction in their respective wards, while the KMC's Building Department and the police are supposed to have such information.
In a web programme on Saturday, he also said that councillors are not involved in corruption and only some unscrupulous elements in Kolkata Municipal Corporation's Building Department and the police may be involved in taking money for allowing illegal construction.
BJP alleged that Hakim was trying to shield councillors from graft charges by squarely putting the blame on his own corporation, while CPI(M) said he was casting aspersions on his department and another headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself.
In response to a telephonic complaint by a resident of ward number 69 of KMC on 'Talk to Mayor' programme over illegal construction, Hakim said a councillor would not know which construction is legal and which is not in his ward, and it is known by the Building Department and the police.
"The Building Department will first know if a building is legal, and can report to the police. The councillor would not know which part of a building is legal and which is not as he does not possess the sanctioned building plan. Hence, in a bribery case, the councillor cannot be implicated," Hakim, also the state Transport Minister and a close aide of Banerjee, said.
To prove his point, Hakim said that in his ward number 82, he doesn't know if any illegal construction is taking place.
He, however, assured the complainant that he will take up the issue of illegal construction in ward number 69 with authorities concerned, and if the allegation is found to be true, necessary action will be taken.
BJP and CPI(M) attacked the Kolkata mayor over his statement.
BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh alleged that Hakim is trying to shield the councillors from any graft charge, while squarely putting the blame on the people of his own corporation.
"Everyone is aware of the extortion racket and cut money culture in different wards of the city. How come he pleads ignorance?" he said.
CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that by making such a statement, Hakim is casting aspersions on his own department and the one headed by the chief minister.