The Bengal irony: BJP cracks down on ‘TMC culture’ within its own ranks

“This (extortion) is indeed a problem. There are two things. One, a section of our own leaders and workers are indulging in it. And, second, several TMC activists have informally joined our party and are continuing such activities,” said a senior BJP leader. “Apart from suspension and show-cause notices, we have issued stern warning to district leaders to check these activities. We have a strict organisational code and ideology. Anyone violating it will be dealt with severely.”

Soon after the BJP handed a crushing defeat to the TMC, bagging 207 of 293 seats, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya had said the party’s doors will be closed for the TMC leaders.

Recently, Bhattacharya admitted that the BJP has “not been able to eliminate extortion completely” within its ranks. Warning BJP leaders that no one found involved in corruption, including any MLAs or MPs, would be spared, he said, “Some people are trying to extort money using our party’s name. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is taking strict administrative action. We are also taking action at the organisational level. There are deviations in one or two places. Such deviations cannot be tolerated all the time. The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy in this regard. We will watch for another 15 days, and then you will see what happens.”

Not only the state BJP, even the RSS also seems to be concerned about the charges of extortion, syndicates and corruption being made against a section of the BJP leaders. The BJP earlier used to link them with the “culture” of the then ruling TMC.

“It will be alright soon. You have to give it some time. It (BJP government) has just been for three months. Corruption was there during the Left regime and thereafter institutionalised during the TMC rule. Steps are being taken and we hope that it will be controlled soon,” Jishnu Basu Saha, Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, Purba Pranta, told The Indian Express.

The BJP central leadership has been apprised of these matters, party sources said. During his visit to Kolkata this week, the party in-charge of Bengal, Sunil Bansal, held a series of organisational meetings with the state unit, where these issues were discussed threadbare, sources said.

On Thursday, Bansal held a meeting with the party brass from Kolkata and Barasat. On Friday, Bansal convened a core committee meeting, which was attended by CM Adhikari, Samik Bhattacharya, and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, among others.

These high-level meetings also discussed the law and order situation, party organisation, current delimitation in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) wards and the upcoming civic body elections and various Assembly and Lok Sabha bypolls.

While the BJP’s disciplinary committee is keeping a watch over state leaders and workers, the leaders of all organisational districts and mandals have been asked to keep an eye for any corrupt or unscrupulous activities and report to the state leadership, sources said.

Extortion, hooliganism cases

The state BJP has got complaints of extortion, both verbally and in writing, from parts of Kolkata and its suburbs, South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, West Burdwan, and Birbhum, among other places, sources said, adding that even during Adhikari’s “Janta Darbar” several people have alleged some BJP leaders’ involvement in “extortion and hooliganism” in districts.

Last month, a promoter in south Dum Dum was allegedly beaten up by some goons who have allegedly switched their allegiance form the TMC to the BJP now. The promoter was allegedly hit with a gun’s butt and was left bleeding. He alleged that the extortionists had demanded Rs 5 lakh for a new construction project.

Dum Dum BJP MLA Arijit Bakshi told reporters that he had asked the promoter to lodge a police complaint, irrespective of the political affiliation of the accused. He also met the promoter in a local hospital.

In West Bardhaman’s Jamuria, a BJP leader, Rakesh Maji, has been arrested for extorting cash from sand-laden trucks. He was sent to police custody. BJP MLA of Jamuria, Bijan Mukherjee, said, “Police has taken action soon after a complaint was received in this case.”

A BJP leader in Kolkata’s Behala was accused of extorting money from a developer as a contribution to “party funds”.

A row also erupted in Baduria in North 24-Parganas after videos emerged on social media purportedly showing two local BJP leaders seated in front of bundles of cash. Local police have yet to take any action in this matter.

The allegations of extortion have been made against some BJP leaders in Katwa, East Burdwan, by a clerk Sujan Ghosh working in the state Land and Land Reforms Department. He has alleged that five lakh rupees was demanded from him and that he was also assaulted. He has lodged a complaint at Katwa police station against several local BJP leaders. The local BJP leadership has denied the allegations, even as the police have started their investigation.

BJP campaign

CM Adhikari recently launched four toll-free helpline numbers for complaints related to cut money, syndicate extortion, and illegal toll and liquor, urging people to report such crimes.

BJP sources said besides the government, such complaints would also be monitored by Samik Bhattacharya’s team if the allegations are against any party members.

After Bhattacharya’s warning to the state BJP activists over the menace of extortion, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul and Panchayat and  Rural Development minister Dilip Ghosh have also issued similar warnings to them in what seems to be the party’s public campaign on the issue.

Paul said, “The issue of extortion will continue to exist. We have not washed everyone clean in a detergent or a washing machine… They are human beings of flesh and blood. Now they have come into government. Many think they can earn money this way. But our state president and CM have issued stern warnings against this.”

Referring to the four helpline numbers, she said, “These helpline numbers have been provided against illegal toll, syndicates, extortion, and illegal liquor dens. People can call there to lodge complaints.”

On extortion, Paul said: “On this matter, what our state president says is final. He has clearly said that if anyone does these things, they will be expelled from the party. We do not make any deals over this. We will not say one thing in public and another in private, telling people to continue extortion and split it 70-30 per cent… we do not do that. We are not like the previous government. What we say, we do.”

Ex-TMC leaders’ induction

Another trouble brewing in the state BJP is related to the entry of the TMC leaders and workers into the party fold. While several TMC workers have already come under the banner of the BJP in the districts, some prominent TMC leaders such as Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, also switched to the party. These three leaders were also re-elected to the Rajya Sabha as the BJP candidates soon after joining the party.

The proximity of 20 rebel TMC Lok Sabha MPs, who have now merged with a little-known outfit Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), to the BJP have also caused resentment in a party section, sources said.

Seeking to downplay such rifts, Dilip Ghosh said, “We have not opened doors for anyone. This will not be accepted by party workers. Those (TMC) leaders, because of whom our workers have lost their houses and were injured, those will not be accepted.”

Regarding the rebel TMC MPs, Ghosh said “We hold relations with TMC MLAs and MPs. But we have not taken them into our party. The BJP is a national party and we will accept our high command’s orders. But they too are aware of the situation at the grassroots level.”

Referring to egg-throwing incidents against several TMC leaders in different parts of the state after the BJP’s victory, Bhattacharya recently had a word of caution for his own party activists. “All one-party monopolies in the world eventually fall. Today we are 207…. The way egg therapy has begun, that egg may roll and fall on the other side as well. It will not take long for the direction of the eggs to change.”