Kolkata: Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in West Bengal of being busier in registering FIRs against him rather than concentrating on development activities.
“I think the BJP government, after coming to power in West Bengal, has spent more time registering FIRs against me than delivering Ayushman Bharat and Lakshmir Bhandar benefits to the people who actually need them,” said Abhishek, also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a social media statement issued on Tuesday evening.
He also accused the media of acting like the mouthpiece of the state government in highlighting the latter’s actions. “It’s equally interesting to see a section of the media amplify this political vendetta, happily sacrificing basic journalistic ethics to play puppetry for those in power,” his statement read.
The Diamond Harbour MP claimed that the FIRs had been filed by politically motivated individuals targeting his work in public service, including free medical check-ups, COVID tests, building roads, and infrastructure development in Diamond Harbour.
“I never imagined that a so-called double-engine government would be so averse to development and good work,” he said.
Although Banerjee did not spell out what he meant by public service offering free medical check-ups and COVID tests, his clear indication was towards the ongoing investigation against the Sebashray health camps and the latest police complaint against a “Mega COVID-19 Testing Drive” camp organised by him during the previous Trinamool regime.
As claimed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, simultaneous probes by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police and the state health department will be conducted into the allegations against the Sebashray health camps.
Abhishek concluded his statement with a message to the state government and the media that whatever might come, he would continue with his work as an elected public representative.
“To them and to my friends in the media, I have only one thing to say: These tactics don’t intimidate me or slow me down. Do what you can. I will keep doing what I was elected to do,” he added.
(IANS)
