In its latest move to counter BJP attacks, the TMC has suspended local leader Sheikh Shahjahan from party membership for six years. Shahjahan, a strongman from Sandeshkhali island, was recently arrested in connection with an alleged mob attack on ED officials last month.
Addressing the media, senior TMC leaders launched a scathing rebuttal of the opposition’s actions. Minister Bratya Basu said:
“While the BJP makes accusations, they take no action against figures mired in allegations within their ranks. We walk the talk; no one is above the law in our party,”
Basu questioned if cases lodged against leaders like Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma would meet the same fate as other ordinary citizens.He alleged
“The washing machine that is the BJP will simply cleanse the stains on any soiled politician,”
Sources indicate the move to crack down on Shahjahan is aimed at silencing critics who claimed the TMC shielded the don. Residents have long complained of the strongman’s involvement in illegal activities, from land grabs to extortion.
Meanwhile, despite complaints, the ED’s reluctance to arrest Shahjahan for over a month has also drawn insinuations. TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar questioned the delay, hinting at a perceived bias in the agency’s actions.
With the gloves now off between the two rivals ahead of the polls, more political fireworks seem inevitable as each side probes for the other’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The people can only hope real justice finds its way in these turbulent times of competing egos and misgovernance allegations.
