Abhishek jabs Bengal Governor over Sandeshkhali visit, questions his ‘priorities’

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 16 (ANI): Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee questioned West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose's 'priorities' for visiting Sandeshkhali within 24 hours after the BJP asked him to but not find time to visit North Dinajpur's Chopra where four children were allegedly found dead in a ditch near a construction site.

Speaking at a party meeting on Friday, Banerjee launched a fierce counter-attack on the BJP, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress at a time when the ruling TMC has been under fire from the Opposition over the events in Sandeshkhali.

"All are silent on the Chopra incident where four kids lost their lives due to BSF's (Border Security Force) negligence. Did the lives of those children have no value? Our delegation visited the Governor and requested him to visit Chopra. However, he has yet to find time to visit the scene of this incident. However, when the BJP delegation visited him (and requested him to go to Sandeshkhali), he went there within 24 hours. This shows where his priorities are," Banerjee claimed while addressing party supporters at the meeting.

The TMC, meanwhile, laid the blame for the alleged child deaths on the BSF, which it said was engaged in an 'illegal' drain expansion work in Chopra in North Dinajpur district.

The party urged the Governor to visit the site and 'fix accountability' for the 'monumental tragedy'.

On the summons by the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha to top police officers in the state on a complaint filed by BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said, "The BJP MP slipped from his car and a summons was sent. Where was this Parliamentary Committee when our MPs were brutally assaulted and female MPs were dragged by hair?"

The Privileges Committee on Thursday directed the top police officials of West Bengal to appear before them over a complaint from the BJP state chief on February 19.

The summons was sent in connection with the notice given by Majumdar in which he accused the police and the district administration of Basirhat in the North 24 Parganas of "alleged misconduct, brutality and causing life-threatening injuries to him".

Majumdar fell off the bonnet of his vehicle and dropped unconscious during a melee that followed a police crackdown on a protest that he had been leading against the Sandeshkhali unrest.

Women in Sandeshkhali have been up in arms over the last few days over alleged atrocities committed on them by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides. (ANI)