Trinamool reacts to judge's 'hire bulldozers from Yogi government' remark

Aug 04, 2023

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By Anirban Sinha Roy, Suryagni Roy: Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, while hearing a case on illegal construction in Kolkata, remarked that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation could hire bulldozers from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government. Sources close to the judge said the remark was made in good humour and nothing was put on record.

However, Gangopadhyay's remark did not sit well with the political parties in the state. Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh reacted to the judge's remark and said, "Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay wants publicity. He wants fame. The CPM has no role now. They are not in the race. That is why he is trying for the BJP. He doesn't have any trust in the West Bengal BJP. He doesn't believe in Sukanta Majumder or Suvendu Adhikari."

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Ghosh accused the judge of being "anti-TMC" and said, "If a bulldozer is required, the West Bengal government also has bulldozers. The (municipal) corporation also has bulldozers. He is blindly and genetically anti-TMC. Sometimes CPM, sometimes BJP. He doesn't want any respect. He is not willing to take any respect."

The TMC leader also alleged that the bulldozers deployed by the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh led to the bloodshed of women and Dalits.

BJP leader Shishir Bajoria also reacted to the judge's remark and said, "It is very unfortunate that, once, it was said that what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow. But now Bengal is known for illegal work... Today it is very unfortunate that the Calcutta High Court has made the remark that if they don't know how to restrict the illegal construction they have to hire bulldozers from Uttar Pradesh. This is so sad. The end of this government and Kolkata Municipal Corporation is near."

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He also slammed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the TMC government in the state and said, "In the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, many things are illegal. Rather, nothing is in a straight way. The ruling party is doing this."

Meanwhile, the mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim said the corporation will "never support any kind of illegal construction" and that it does not believe in the concept of bulldozing. "We believe in development," he added.

(With input from Indrajit Kundu)

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