Suvendu flays Dwivedi for Abhishek meeting

Adhikari said Dwivedi was facilitating Trinamul’s aim of 'dynastic and authoritarian' rule

Suvendu Adhikari,  File picture

Arkamoy Datta Majumdar   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |   30.01.23 : Leader of the Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday threatened legal action against chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi unless administrative review meetings at all parliamentary constituencies of the state were held along the lines of the one on Saturday at Diamond Harbour chaired by its MP Abhishek Banerjee.

In a series of seven tweets explaining his stand, Adhikari on Sunday tagged all parliamentarians from Bengal except Trinamul general secretary Abhishek. According to Adhikari, if an order isn’t issued directing district magistrates to organise similar meetings in Bengal’s remaining 41 constituencies within the next two weeks, he would file a public interest litigation.

“Hon’ble Chief Secretary, I’m in a quandary about whether there’s Democracy in WB or Authoritarian Monarchy. The South 24 Parganas DM arranged a review Meeting for Diamond Harbour Parliamentary Constituency. There are 42 Parliamentary Constituencies in WB, what about the others?” Adhikari’s first tweet read.

Later, on the sidelines of a political event at Nandigram, Adhikari said Dwivedi was facilitating Trinamul’s aim of “dynastic and authoritarian” rule in Bengal.

Similar meetings were chaired by Abhishek at Diamond Harbour during the pandemic to contain the spread of Covid-19. Then too, the Opposition asked why similar steps were not taken for the rest of Bengal.

Adhikari on Sunday asked why no review meeting was held in three other parliamentary constituencies — Joynagar, Mathurapur and Jadavpur — of the same district. He alleged Dwivedi acted “partially, as the “royal courtier of the queen” to establish the authority of the “heir apparent”, hitting out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s parliamentarian nephew Abhishek.

Trinamul MP Santanu Sen retorted saying the BJP must “learn” from the way in which Abhishek looked after his constituency. “BJP MPs are seen only during elections. Else, they are nowhere to be found,” he said.