Kolkata, Oct. 28 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday offered a CID probe into Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee's allegations of attempted document theft ahead of the Election Commission's hearing on the twin-flower symbol dispute, prompting the Mamata Banerjee-led MAITC to accuse the ruling BJP of helping its "B team".
Speaking in the Assembly during the swearing-in of newly elected MLAs, Suvendu said he would hand over the investigation to the CID if Ritabrata lodged an FIR over the alleged incident.
The controversy erupted after Ritabrata claimed on social media that documents being transported by road by Democratic Trinamool Congress workers to Delhi on October 24 were targeted by miscreants who allegedly attempted to intercept their vehicle and steal the papers. He alleged that the workers thwarted the attempt.
Ritabrata contrasted the incident with the Mamata Banerjee-led faction's decision to send its documents to Delhi by chartered flight on October 25, and questioned the amount spent for it.
Reacting to the allegations, MAITC MLA Kunal Ghosh dismissed them as baseless, accusing the rival faction of having neither workers nor supporters and alleging that some MLAs had been pressured into signing documents.
He also accused Suvendu of effectively endorsing the rival camp, alleging that its members were acting as BJP agents.
The MAITC leader further questioned the signatures collected when Ritabrata was appointed Leader of the Opposition, asking whether any of the signatories had been pressured.
Suvendu also took a swipe at the fragmentation of the Trinamool camp, remarking that there were now multiple Trinamools. The MAITC, meanwhile, questioned why the ruling party was giving such importance to the rival faction's allegations amid several other
contentious issues.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.