KK’s death triggers political furore in Calcutta

Opposition parties on Wednesday accused the state administration and event organisers of mismanagement

KK: File Picture

Arkamoy Datta Majumdar   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |  02.06.22  : The demise of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath  (KK) on Tuesday after a show in Calcutta triggered a political controversy with Opposition parties on Wednesday accusing the state administration and event organisers of mismanagement.

CPM’s students’ front SFI accused the Gurudas Mahavidyalaya unit of the Trinamul’s student organisation, TMCP, of illegally selling passes to people for KK’s Nazrul Mancha live show at higher rates.

“It led to a crushing crowd inside the auditorium and suffocation,” an SFI leader said. The Gurudas Mahavidyalaya unit of the TMCP had organised the fest where KK performed.

SFI’s national general secretary Mayukh Biswas blamed the TMCP unit. “….They sold tickets in black, sprayed fire extinguisher in the auditorium, then Switching off AC. This is criminal offence,” he tweeted.

Srijan Bhattacharya, SFI’s state secretary, alleged that the auditorium was packed with people thrice its capacity. “Leaders of TMCP were present. Why didn’t they curb the mismanagement? Why didn’t the police act?” he asked.

BJP Bengal chief Sukanta Majumdar said Nazrul Mancha had a capacity of 2,200 but around 7,000 were in the audience on Tuesday night when KK performed. He said this auditorium was a “favourite place” of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “The chief minister must resign after what happened,” Majumdar added.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari demanded an ED probe into the source of funds. He alleged a “buzz that the expenses of the show were paid in cash to the tune of Rs 25 lakh”.

“The money wasn’t paid by college authorities,” Suvendu claimed. In a tweet, Suvendu said: “…ED should investigate who is the donor....”

Sources in Trinamul alleged that the saffron ecosystem was trying to weave anti-Mamata propaganda on a national scale using the demise of KK to hold the Bengal chief minister responsible for his death.

Trinamul spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “So many people were there. Nobody fell sick. A professional artiste fell ill after he finished his performance and left. What happened is unfortunate.”