Kolkata, Oct. 14 -- Kolkata Police on Wednesday questioned MAITC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for over five hours in connection with the Camac Street party office billboard clash. The Diamond Harbour MP appeared at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station around 11.30 am.
Emerging from the Shakespeare Sarani P.S after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that state police, acting on instructions of the ruling BJP, have been harassing political opponents.
The case relates to an August 27 incident when KMC officials and police attempted to remove the party's billboard from the roof of a building on Camac Street that houses a TMC party office.
The removal drive escalated into a confrontation, with civic authorities and police alleging that their personnel were harassed and assaulted by Banerjee's supporters. Three FIRs were subsequently registered at Shakespeare Sarani P.S. Addressing the media, Banerjee said he had cooperated with police whenever summoned and would continue to do so.
"Police are following instructions of superiors and this vindictive and revengeful government. Be it ED or CBI, I had never fled from interrogation and turned up whenever asked. But what about the person involved in Saradha, Narada scams?" he said.
On the billboard row, Banerjee questioned the KMC's decision to remove the structure, alleging that no proper notice had been served on him before the action. "If the KMC wanted to remove the billboard, why was I not served a proper notice?" he asked.
Banerjee said he would pursue the matter before the Calcutta High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court.
He claimed law and order had deteriorated since the BJP came to power in May, citing an RTI that allegedly recorded 600 rapes, 2,454 murders, 1.44 lakh attempted murders and 32,000-33,000 grievous injury cases in four months.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.