Trinamool Leader Abhishek Banerjee Fires Back at Amit Shah Over Fire Tragedy Allegations
In a sharp rebuttal to Home Minister Amit Shah's criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the Anandapur fire tragedy, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday questioned the accountability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for similar incidents across the country.
Countering Blame with Parallel Incidents
Speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport before departing for Delhi to attend the Budget session, Abhishek Banerjee argued that if Amit Shah holds Mamata Banerjee responsible for the Anandapur fire that claimed 25 lives, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should equally be held accountable for the Goa nightclub blaze that occurred a month ago.
"In Indore, people died after drinking contaminated water. Should PM Modi be blamed for that too?" Banerjee questioned, adding the proverb: "When you point one finger at someone, three fingers will point back at you."
Questioning Political Connections and Double Standards
The Trinamool leader specifically addressed Shah's allegations regarding Trinamool's connections with the momo chain whose factory was among the structures gutted in the fire. "Those politicizing the incident because an industrialist accompanied the CM as part of an overseas delegation should explain PM Modi's connection with Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi," Banerjee stated.
He highlighted that both Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, accused of fleeing the country with over Rs 20,000 crore, had accompanied the Prime Minister to international forums like the World Economic Forum. "There are pictures as well," he emphasized, suggesting what he perceived as double standards in political accountability.
Defending Government Response and Criticizing Politicization
Banerjee defended the state government's handling of the Anandapur incident, stating that it was a private godown where government monitoring has limitations. "How low can one stoop to politicize such issues? It was a private godown, and government cannot monitor everything inside a private godown," he remarked.
He explained that once authorities received information about the situation, everyone acted with utmost urgency. "Those responsible, including the godown owner and the momo factory manager have been apprehended. None will be spared," he assured.
Broadening the Accountability Argument
The Trinamool MP expanded his argument beyond immediate incidents, questioning broader policy impacts. He suggested that if Mamata Banerjee is held responsible for 25 deaths in Anandapur, then the Prime Minister and Home Minister should be accountable for over 140 deaths related to policies like SIR (Special Investment Region) that BJP wanted to implement in Bengal.
"About 150 people died during demonetization. Are they responsible for those deaths as well?" he questioned, urging the BJP to "fight Trinamool on development and political issues rather than spreading bigotry and divisive hatred."
Addressing Corruption Allegations and Electoral Claims
On Shah's corruption charges against Trinamool, Banerjee pointed to BJP's own ranks. "The person standing right next to him on dais (Suvendu Adhikari) has corruption charges against him," he noted, referencing several BJP leaders including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Narayan Rane in Maharashtra as examples of what he called the party's questionable anti-corruption stance over the last 10-12 years.
Brushing aside Shah's claim of achieving 50% vote share in Bengal, Banerjee recalled previous electoral predictions that didn't materialize. "Last time, too, they claimed they would get 200-plus seats. During Lok Sabha polls, the PM said their best result would come from Bengal. Many exit polls also predicted BJP would get 30 or more seats, but when the results came out, the game changed," he stated.
Criticizing Governance and Security Management
In some of his strongest remarks, Abhishek Banerjee labeled Amit Shah as "the most unsuccessful home minister since Independence." He questioned security and governance under Shah's ministry: "If borders are secured by BSF, which is under home ministry, how are people entering the country? CISF guards the collieries, then how is coal pilferage happening? Who is responsible?"
He concluded by urging a shift in political discourse: "Rather than politicizing unfortunate incidents, they should help ensure such incidents are not repeated."
