Kolkata: Union minister Adhir Chowdhury today criticised the Mamata Banerjee government for trying to ‘settle old scores' with WBHRC chairman A K Ganguly over the law intern case, but said that the former supreme court judge should resign on moral grounds.
Justice Ganguly had initiated several suo motu probes including the arrest of Professor Ambikesh Mahapatra of Jadavpore University for circulating a cartoon of the chief minister on the Internet, the arrest of a farmer who asked the chief minister a question at a rally and the Kamduni rape case and others.
“The Trinamool is now trying to settle old scores with him as he had made many recommendations which were not liked by this government,” Chowdhury, Union Minister of State for Railways, said.
“This is nothing new. This is the nature of this government that if anyone speaks against it then it will not tolerate it,” Chowdhury said.
He, said, however, that Justice Ganguly should resign on moral grounds.
“The observations that has been made by the Supreme Court panel about ‘unwelcome behaviour'. I do not know the exact definition of unwelcome behaviour,” he said.
“However, in view of the ramifications of the incident, I think on moral grounds, it is better that Justice Ganguly should resign and face the consequences. I wish he comes out with flying colours,” Chowdhury said.
A Supreme Court committee of three judges had indicted Justice Ganguly for his ‘unwelcome behaviour' and ‘conduct of sexual nature' toward the intern.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has twice written to President Pranab Mukherjee asking him to take appropriate action urgently against Justice Ganguly.
Justice Ganguly has denied the charges and refused to comment on the demands for his resignation from the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
Speaking on the Food Security Act, Chowdhury criticised the Trinamool Congress government for not implementing it in the state, saying that it was depriving the poor people of their rights.
“The Food Security Act has been implemented in other states. But they are yet to start it here. The state itself is saying that the number of BPL families have increased. Then why are they not implementing it?” he asked. “The Food Security Act is being discussed at the WTO conference in Bali. The act has taken a global dimension. But this state government is indifferent to it,” Chowdhury said.
“The state government is saying that it is a pro-poor government. Is it the nature of pro-poor government? On Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's proposed trip to New Delhi on December 9, a day after the results of four states would be announced, Chowdhury said, “Whether she is going to Delhi to become the next PM, or to keep her position as CM only time will tell. I will just say that apart from her there are many PM candidates.”
Chowdhury also demanded that CBI inquiry into the Saradha chit fund scam.
“The Trinamool have always raised demand for CBI inquiry while they were in the opposition. I don't understand why they are afraid of a CBI inquiry right now.” Chowdhury also criticised the state government's opposition to a confession before a magistrate by arrested TMC MP Kunal Ghosh.
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