Kolkata, Nov. 1 -- MAITC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has directly attacked the BJP several times in recent days, particularly over the Chorbagan stampede issue, accusing the ruling party of attempting to hide BJP leaders associated with the Puja Committee. BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, have also been heard launching attacks against the MAITC national general secretary amid the escalating political confrontation in Bengal.
Amid the ongoing war of words, Abhishek recently took to social media to hit back at the BJP, questioning why his continued criticism of the party and its leadership had become a matter of astonishment when he remained a free citizen.
"The BJP's minions are utterly frustrated. Their biggest question is how I can politically take on the BJP so fiercely and still remain a free citizen?" he wrote.
He alleged that the country's political discourse had reached a point where criticising the BJP was being treated almost like blasphemy. According to him, what should be considered a normal exercise in a democracy had now become an extraordinary act of defiance.
Abhishek further accused the BJP of wanting an opposition without a voice, courage or the ability to challenge those in power. Referring specifically to Bengal, he alleged that the party's ambition was to create an "opposition-free political landscape".
Asserting that dissent was not a crime and democracy did not belong exclusively to the ruling party, Abhishek said he would not shy away from asking uncomfortable questions or speaking truth to power whenever the interests of the state and the country were at stake.
He also maintained that he would neither be intimidated into silence nor pressured into submission, declaring that his voice would remain "fearless, independent and uncompromising".
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.