Bengal Congress to stage protest, Bhunia remains unimpressed

The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday announced submitting a deputation to Governor K.N. Tripathi against the "false implication" of party legislator Manas Bhunia in a murder case, who incidentally ridiculed the decision.

"The entire party is with Bhunia who has been falsely implicated in the murder case. We will take out a rally and submit a deputation to the governor on Friday to register our protest against this evil act by the state administration," said state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

The party's decision to hold a protest rally comes a day after Calcutta High Court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Bhunia who is an accused in the murder of a Trinamool Congress activist in West Midnapore district.

He was named as one of the prime accused by the family of Joydeb Jana who was allegedly murdered in Sabang in April during the assembly polls.

Bhunia, whose relationship with the Congress nosedived after he took up the post of the Bengal assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman in defiance of his party stand, appeared unimpressed.

"It took four months for the party leadership to stage a protest. They should realise that if you delay, you are likely to miss the train. The state Congress has missed the train named Manas Bhunia," said the veteran legislator and a former state Congress chief.

He also said that he will not participate in the protest rally where all Congress state legislators are expected to participate.

Chowdhury however, appeared unfazed by Bhunia's remarks.

"So long as he continues to be a Congress legislator, the party will continue to support him especially when a grave injustice is being done to him," said Chowdhury.

The state Congress which wanted the PAC chair to go to CPI-M Sujon Chakraborty, had also show caused Bhunia over his insistence to continue at the post.

--IANS

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