KOLKATA: BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh Friday courted yet another controversy by saying that the day is not far off when the TMC leaders will be "publicly beaten up" for their involvement in various graft cases in the state.
Ghosh, known for making controversial remarks, said the TMC leaders will soon face "public ire" for their alleged involvement in various scams, including cattle smuggling and the SSC scandals.
"The day is not far away when TMC leaders will be publicly beaten up. The people of the state are fed up with this corrupt TMC regime. They will soon face public ire for their involvement in various scams," he said addressing a protest rally.
"Only two TMC leaders have been arrested and the party is crying foul over it. The day is not far off when the entire TMC leadership will be behind bars. None of the TMC leaders will be spared, they have to pay for their sins," he said.
The CBI had arrested TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal from Bolpur on August 11 for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into the cattle smuggling case.
Partha Chatterjee, the now suspended senior TMC leader, and his aide Arpita Mukherjee were arrested on July 23 by the ED in connection with the school recruitment scam.
Ghosh's comments drew sharp reaction from the TMC, which accused the BJP leader of trying to "vitiate the atmosphere" of the state.
"Dilip Ghosh no longer has any importance in his party. He is making such comments to ensure his presence in Bengal's political space. But the worst part is such comments will further vitiate the atmosphere of the state," senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said.
On Monday Ghosh had courted controversy by attacking the CBI and wondering what action it has taken in respect of cases of post-Assembly poll violence cases in Bengal in 2021 in which around 60 BJP workers were killed.
His comment had come a day after he had stirred a hornet's nest by saying that some CBI officers are hand in gloves with the ruling TMC in the state.
The probe by the CBI into the post-poll violence had been ordered by the Calcutta High Court.
Following Ghosh's comment, the BJP central leadership had cautioned him and asked him to refrain from making such controversial remarks in future.
Senior TMC leader and West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim, who was recently threatened by BJP leaders with arrest by central agencies, Friday hit out at the saffron party saying he is not afraid of going to jail and will continue to fight against the anti-people policies of the Centre.
Hakim, who is also the Kolkata Mayor, claimed that BJP and the central investigating agencies are trying to tarnish the TMC leaders' images by making "false allegations".
"Recently BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said I am next in line (to be arrested). He might have turned an astrologer, but I would like to know for which case I would be arrested and not a false case. I am not afraid of going to jail and I condemn these deliberate attempts by the BJP, CBI and ED to malign the characters and images of TMC leaders in the eyes of the people," Hakim said.
His comments came in the backdrop of a recent statement by Majumder that it will be Hakim's turn next to be arrested after Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal, who have been apprehended by the ED and CBI.
"After their arrest Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal are being repeatedly taken to hospitals as they are falling sick. I think they need Hakim (traditionally meaning a doctor) inside the jail. So the next in line might be Hakim," Majumdar said on Thursday.
Reacting to the comment, Hakim wondered whether being an activist of an opposition party is a crime.
"The BJP choose to raise or ignore allegations of corruption against politicians with an eye on political convenience. I have committed no wrong. Had I joined BJP like Suvendu Adhikari, I would have turned into a sage for the saffron camp. Just because I am a soldier of the TMC, I am being harassed and maligned," he said.
"But such tactics won't stop me from protesting against the Centre's policies," he added.
CBI arrested TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal from Bolpur on August 11 for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into the cattle smuggling case.
Partha Chatterjee, the now suspended senior TMC leader, and his aide Arpita Mukherjee were arrested on July 23 by the ED in connection with the school recruitment scam.