'Shocking Display Of Deceit': Abhishek Banerjee Slams BJP Over Denial Of Spl Train For TMC Protest In Delhi

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has said that the denial of a special train requested by the party for protest in Delhi is a "testament" to the BJP's fear.

Trinamool Congress has intensified its attack on the Centre over the denial of various demands that have been sought by the party in view of its protest in Delhi on October 2-3. Even before the planned protest, CM Mamata’s party and his nephew Abhishek Banerjee blamed the BJP for deceiving the people of West Bengal. Sharing the screenshot of the mail from IRCTC and a letter from the railway authorities stating the denial of the special train, Banerjee said it was a shocking display of deceit by the BJP. 

He also called the action a testament to the BJP’s fear, adding that he loves to see the BJP cowering before the people of West Bengal. 

" SHOCKING DISPLAY OF DECEIT: The BJP govt shamelessly denied to provide a special train after accepting the deposit. This blatant obstruction of WB's right to protest for their rightful dues is a glaring testament to their FEAR.  Love seeing them COWER BEFORE THE PEOPLE OF WB.😄" his post on X, formerly Twitter, read. 

Banerjee had earlier shared the ED summons to him for appearance on Oct 3 and said that he won’t attend the same alleging the summons are being planned for the days he has serious engagement. He said he would go on to attend the TMC’s Delhi protest, adding "stop me if you can". 

Now, while speaking to reporters in Kolkata on Friday, he said that the government denied permission for Ram Leela Maidan, Krishi Bahvan and Lodhi estate and now has cited unavailability for the special train. 

"You have not given permission at Ram Leela Maidan, at Krishi Bhavan, at Lodi estate. Now you have stopped special train (from Howrah to Delhi on September 30). Why are you so afraid?" Abhishek Banerjee said, as quoted by ANI. 

"We had first applied for Ram Leela Maidan. We wanted 1 lakh people from Bengal to go to Delhi. We wanted to set up a temporary tent there. They did not give us permission despite writing five letters to them," he further said. 

"Later we sought permission to hold a public meeting outside Krishi Bhavan. They did not give us permission. For Rajghat they did not give a written permission till now. We wanted to protest at Lodi Estate, but they did not give us permission," he was quoted as saying by ANI. 

The TMC MP added that rail authorities took money to book special train but they declined. He asked why they took money from the party if they had no available train with then. "Today around 2.5-3 thousand protesters, 80 per cent of them women have come to Kolkata to go to Delhi to fight for their rights. The BJP has deprived them of their rights," he said. 

Banerjee also said that the party has got an email from Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh’s department, "We have got an email from Giriraj Singh’s department that he will not be in Delhi. We wrote back that we will meet the Minister of State," he said as quoted by ANI.

Notably, TMC has accused the BJP of withholding Rs 15,000 crore under MGNREGA and Awas Yojana and sought to release the same for the people of Bengal. 

Speaking over the denial of permission for a special train, TMC MP Saugata Roy said, "The BJP's central leadership wants that our program in Delhi should not be successful...Abhishek was called by ED, train was cancelled, and permission was not given for Ramlila Maidan... But we will do this program at any cost. If any obstacle comes, we will face it." 

 

Court Removes Bengal Employment Scam Investigation Officer 

Lawyer and Petitioner in the Bengal employment scam case, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya has said that the court has removed the investigation officer citing a "frivolous" list of assets that the officer agreed to have submitted based on a letter by Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer.  

"Today Justice Amrita Sinha, while hearing the petition on the employment scam in West Bengal, passed two important directions... First, Mithelesh Mishra, who was in charge of the investigation, has been removed because, on the last occasion, when the court directed him to file the asset statements, he gave a list of assets that were frivolous... In court, he admitted that he had given them on the basis of a letter written by the lawyer of Abhishek Banerjee... This was irresponsible behaviour..." he said. 

"Second, we pointed out that the date was allegedly fixed by SEBI, asking some persons to appear, but they have shown their defiance... They are trying to delay the investigations...This dragging will help the miscreants destroy this evidence... To that, the court said that the schedule as fixed by ED should remain unaltered...The investigation should be carried on with all expeditions..." Bhattacharya added.