Kolkata: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed grief over the death of former Trinamool Congress MLA and ex-Deputy Speaker in state Assembly Asish Banerjee.
In a social media post on X, Mamata Banerjee said that Asish Banerjee’s death has left her disturbed.
The Trinamool Congress supremo said, “The passing of Asish Banerjee has left me deeply disturbed. He spent much of his life teaching and serving society with dedication, always known for his humble nature and close bond with the people of Rampurhat and Birbhum.”
The former Chief Minister said that Asish Banerjee faced mental and emotional strain in his final days, despite his long record of public service.
“What makes this tragedy even more painful is the immense mental and emotional strain he appears to have endured in his final days. As a five-term MLA, former Deputy Speaker and Chairman, Asish Da dedicated himself to bringing development to Rampurhat and undertook a large number of important works for the people. Yet, despite the work he did, he was repeatedly maligned, falsely accused and subjected to relentless pressure,” she added.
The former Chief Minister said, “The harassment and mental pressure he (Asish Banerjee) faced, despite his long record of public service, should make all of us pause and reflect on the human cost of relentless political hostility. My heartfelt prayers and condolences to his family, loved ones, former students and countless admirers. His absence will be deeply felt, always.”
Asish Banerjee was found dead in a room at his Rampurhat residence that served as his party’s office on Sunday. His body was found hanging in the Trinamool Congress office, police said, adding that a suicide note was recovered from the spot.
Asish Banerjee was a former Trinamool Congress legislator from Rampurhat Assembly constituency in Birbhum district.
In the one-page handwritten suicide note in Bengali, the former West Bengal Deputy Speaker wrote that he made a mistake by entering the area of politics and that never in his political career had he got involved in any corrupt activity.
The development has created ripples across political circles, with questions being raised on why he took such an extreme step.
Questions are being raised on whether he committed suicide due to political pressure or whether there was some other reason behind it.
The police have started investigating the incident, and Asish Banerjee’s body has been sent for post-mortem.
The police are trying to verify whether the suicide note was actually written by him.
A five-time Trinamool Congress legislator from Rampurhat Assembly constituency, Ashish Banerjee, was also a member of the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress Cabinet in West Bengal, besides being a former Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly.
(IANS)
