Abhishek Banerjee should not have aired his views in public: Kalyan

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday stirred controversy by his comment that party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee should not have aired his view of prohibiting all political and other party activities in West Bengal for two months due to the surge in COVID-19 in public and for indicating that he had breached the party discipline.

Party spokesman Kunal Ghosh said TMC has taken serious view of Banerjee's comments and supported Abhishek Banerjee's views.

Hitting out at Ghosh, Banerjee said it is "better" for him "to die than to have to take a certificate from a person like Ghosh".

"Ghosh had bad mouthed TMC chief Mamata Banerjee so many times before," Banerjee said.

He said party supremo Mamata Banerjee, who helms the government in West Bengal, will take the right administrative decision considering the situation on the ground as well as health issues.

He wondered why Abhishek Banerjee did not press for suspending political activities in five states where assembly polls will be held in February-March when he himself is the national general secretary of a contesting party.

"The pandemic is equally bad elsewhere as well ... There can be other opinion regarding measures taken by the administration about crisis situations like COVID-19. But that has to be aired within the party forum," Banerjee said.

Indicating that Abhishek Banerjee has breached party discipline by his public comment, he said "I may have my own opinion on some issues. But should I broach it outside? Never. There is a rule in an organisation ... People of the state had voted for Mamata Banerjee, our leader, in past elections. She is my leader and will take the right decision," he said.

Banerjee also claimed there was a big gathering in Diamond Harbour on January 1, the final day of the MP Cup football tournament organised by Abhishek Banerjee, and wondered how it was allowed to take place considering the TMC leader's 'Diamond Harbour model' which prohibits big gatherings for two months in his constituency.

Clearly critical of the model, he said "What model? We are all fighting COVID in our own ways".

Sharply reacting to his comments, Ghosh said "Abhishek Banerjee is our national general secretary. What he said to contain the COVID spike reflects the opinion of the general public. It is not contrary to the stand of the ruling dispensation."

He said it should not be presumed that the party is not taking a serious view of Banerjee's utterances and the chaiman of its disciplinary committee, Partha Chatterjee is keeping an eye on it.

Banerjee shot back saying "He (Ghosh) had betrayed Mamata Banerjee in the past. He has no integrity ... I don't want to say anything on the comments of such a person.