Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday allegedly criticised party leaders involved in corruption and dubbed them as Raghu dakat or robbers damaging the party’s reputation.
Speaking at a meeting of party workers on Tuesday afternoon in Barnia village of Nadia's Palashipara, an Assembly segment represented by Manik Bhattacharya, Moitra was heard saying in a widely-circulated video that the party's image had suffered because of those accused of corruption and that she would not remain silent while they continued to exert influence in the area. The Telegraph could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Palashipara Assembly segment is part of the Krishnanagar constituency that Moitra represents in the Lok Sabha.
In an apparent reference to Bhattacharya — one of the accused in the teachers' recruitment scam who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and is recently out on bail— the Krishnanagar MP alleged that such individuals were not just thieves but their entire families were involved in wrongdoings.
"It is because of them that the party’s image has been tarnished. There was a case, an FIR was lodged, and even a chargesheet was filed against them. And yet, these people are entering the area to hold meetings, and we are expected to accept them. Have we died? What do you think?" Moitra, who is also the president of the party’s Krishnanagar organising district, reportedly said at the meeting.
"I usually don’t speak on such matters. I have never said this before. But today, I am compelled to do so. Those who are tarnishing the party’s image are like Raghu Dakat," she added, referring to the infamous dacoit, who became a household name after Panchkori Dey wrote the eponymous book in 1894. "These people are not small-time thieves or pickpockets."
With a clear reference to Bhattacharya’s arrest in the money-for-job scam — where his son, wife, and other family members were also under investigation and arrested — Moitra further accused them of being "thieves". "The entire family members are thieves," she alleged.
"I am not lying while standing here in Barnia. This is the reality," she said, asserting herself as a loyal party worker and a member of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s brigade. "Only because of two or three thieves, our image is being tarnished."
Bhattacharya, along with his wife and son, was arrested by the ED but later granted bail.
On Wednesday, the CBI filed a third supplementary chargesheet in the case, alleging that the Palashipara MLA accepted bribes for teachers' recruitment.
Reacting to Moitra’s remarks, Bhattacharya dismissed them, saying that similar allegations had been made by the BJP and the CPM for a long time, and now "another" voice had joined in.
"This is the same thing that BJP and CPM have been saying for a long time. I will not comment on anyone. I am not even aware of what she said or whether her words were directed at me. She will have to answer for whatever she said. I have absolute faith in the judiciary and in the people’s mandate, which is the only thing that matters," Bhattacharya said.
Trinamool’s Krishnanagar organising committee chairperson Rukbanur Rahaman refused to comment on the issue.
The Telegraph tried to contact Moitra over the phone but the call went unanswered.
However, some party insiders suggested that Moitra’s outburst was driven by internal friction.
Recently, at least six Trinamool MLAs under the Krishnanagar organisational district, including Bhattacharya, lodged a complaint against Moitra with the party’s top leadership, accusing her of high-handedness. The rift between Moitra and these MLAs had become apparent during a condolence meeting for the late Kaliganj MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed.