Howrah (West Bengal) [India], August 16 : West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday alleged that "corrupt individuals" from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) might try to intimidate the family of former TMC MLA Asish Banerjee, who was found dead at his party office in Birbhum.
Addressing the press conference on the death of former state Assembly Deputy Speaker and veteran TMC leader Asish Banerjee, Adhikari said he had spoken to the victim's family and urged them to cooperate with the police, while calling for the examination of call records in connection with the incident.
"I spoke to his family a short while ago... He was a decent political leader... The BJP MLA elected from his constituency went to meet him and touched his feet. His entire family stated that he shared a good rapport with local BJP workers and the police. This is an unfortunate incident. I have asked his family to cooperate with the police... Corrupt individuals from the TMC might try to intimidate them. Call records should be examined," Adhikari added.
Adhikari said he shared a good relationship with Banerjee and recalled that the former TMC leader had messaged him after he assumed the role of Chief Minister, saying he would come to meet him.
"I had a good relationship with him, and when I assumed the role as the Chief Minister, he messaged me saying he would come to meet me," he said.
The Bengal Chief Minister also referred to developments within the TMC after Mamata Banerjee lost the election, saying she formed a committee and Asish Banerjee immediately resigned from it.
"After Mamata Banerjee lost the election, she formed a committee, and he immediately resigned from it," Adhikari said.
He said the police would take action in the matter and announced that he would personally meet Banerjee's family. "The police will certainly take action... I, too, will meet his family because I shared a good bond with them--you can verify this," Adhikari said.
Earlier, Banerjee was found dead in his party office, Birbhum District Police said on Sunday and added that a suicide note has been found. Following the news, TMC workers gathered outside the party office and at Banerjee's residence in Rampurhat.
Banerjee had stepped down as chairman of the TMC's Birbhum district core committee in June, weeks after the Mamata Banerjee-led party suffered defeat in the assembly elections.
Further, targeting Congress over the Vande Mataram row, CM Adhikari also alleged that the Congress party disrespected 'Vande Mataram' during its singing at the party headquarters on Independence Day.
He said that the family of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay has sought an apology from Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Adhikari said that 'Vande Mataram' is deeply associated with "nationalism, patriotism and India's national identity."
"Yesterday was Independence Day, and the manner in which the Congress party disrespected 'Vande Mataram' while it was being sung at the party headquarters has come to light. Just yesterday, the family of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote to Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, expressing their objection and demanding an apology," Adhikari said.
The Chief Minister further alleged that neither Sonia Gandhi nor the Congress party has so far responded to the letter. "So far, there has been no response or explanation regarding the letter from either Sonia Gandhi or the Congress party," Adhikari said.
Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders lodged a formal complaint against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at the Urwa Police Station in Karnataka, following a controversy during the recitation of the national song Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day.
The controversy erupted after visuals from the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters showed senior party leaders speaking among themselves while Vande Mataram was being recited. BJP leaders have criticised their conduct, alleging that it amounted to disrespect towards the National Song.