KOLKATA: The cracks in the ruling Trinamool Congress are out in the open as two senior ministers of the Mamata Banerjee cabinet engaged in a war of words over the issue of corruption in the party.
After the irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee said the party’s ongoing drive against in-house corruption should be aimed at not only ‘’small fries’’ but also against ‘’big fishes’’, the agricultural marketing minister Arup Roy accused him of echoing the BJP.
The statements from two senior ministers came amid protests against the local leadership over alleged corruption in the distribution of relief materials for people affected by cyclone Amphan.
Many elected members of gram panchayats and panchayat samities have been suspended and hundreds have been slapped with show-cause notices after they were found diverting government grant to the bank accounts of their family members and relatives.
Banerjee’s comment came after the party suspended three members of a Panchayat committee in Howrah.
“The drive against corruption doesn’t mean taking action against small fries only. Action should be taken against big fishes of the party too. The image of the party is being maligned because of them. I am not being allowed to work freely against corruption,’’ said Banerjee, a two-time MLA from Domjur and the party’s Howrah district co-ordinator.
Banerjee also alleged the decision of taking action against the three elected members was taken keeping him in dark.
He accused Roy, the Howrah district president, of protecting big names in the party who are known for their corruption. Hitting back at Banerjee, Roy said, “He is echoing the voice of the BJP. If he has anything to say, he should raise the issue with the leadership.’’
BJP welcomed Banerjee’s statement. “Anyone with self- respect will feel suffocated in a party like TMC,” said its state unit chief Dilip Ghosh.