BJP faces storm as party worker accuses prominent leader of amassing Rs 100 cr in assets
A senior woman leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, who is also a lawyer by profession, has been accused of acquiring property worth more than Rs 100 cr ($120 million), triggering turmoil within the party’s state unit. The complaint, unusually, has not come from the opposition but from within the BJP itself. A party worker from Howrah has filed petitions with India’s federal investigative agencies – including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Income Tax Department – demanding a probe into the source of the leader’s wealth. Copies of the complaint were also sent to BJP’s national president, J.P. Nadda. According to the complaint, the BJP leader and a close relative allegedly purchased multiple high-value properties despite declaring significant debt in earlier election affidavits. The documents cited by the complainant claim the leader owed over 7 million rupees in loans during the 2021 elections but has since acquired luxury flats worth several crore rupees. Her relative is accused of buying properties exceeding 10 billion rupees. The allegations raise suspicions of tax evasion and money laundering, the complainant wrote, urging investigators to determine whether the acquisitions were influenced by the leader’s political position or protected by senior figures within the party. The controversy quickly spilled into the public domain after Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh posted on social media that he had received a copy of the complaint. “If true, I hope central agencies will take appropriate action,” he wrote, while stressing that he had not verified the claims. The BJP has not officially responded, but the accusations have caused unease within its ranks, exposing rifts in a party already struggling to consolidate itself in West Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress remains dominant. For the BJP, which has positioned itself as a crusader against corruption, the allegations strike at its credibility, particularly since they involve one of its more visible faces in the state.
RSS warns BJP against alienating Bengali migrant workers, says move could help Mamata
Kolkata, Aug 29 (Reuters) – The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), ideological mentor of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has cautioned party leaders against targeting Bengali-speaking workers in BJP-ruled states, warning that such moves could strengthen West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. According to people familiar with the matter, senior RSS leaders have privately conveyed to BJP’s central leadership that the harassment of Bengali migrant workers amounts to a “self-goal,” handing Banerjee political ammunition. They said the issue has already given the Trinamool Congress leader an opportunity to project herself as the protector of Bengali identity. The concern is expected to feature in the RSS’s coordination meeting scheduled from Sept. 5-7 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will be present, the people said. The organization, which has been expanding its grassroots presence in West Bengal in recent years, fears the incidents could hamper its outreach. RSS leaders have also raised the matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a senior federal minister, underscoring that no Indian citizen should be treated as an outsider for speaking Bengali. The Sangh believes action against illegal migrants should not spill over into hostility against lawful citizens, which risks alienating West Bengal’s electorate. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has staged street protests over alleged assaults on Bengali workers in BJP-ruled states, accusing the ruling party of discrimination.
BJP files police complaint against TMC lawmaker Mahua Moitra over ‘anti-national’ remarks
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday filed a police complaint against Trinamool Congress (TMC) parliamentarian Mahua Moitra, accusing her of making “anti-national” remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah. The complaint, lodged at Kotwali police station in Nadia district, followed comments Moitra made on Aug. 26 during a land allotment event in Krishnanagar. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Moitra criticised the government over illegal immigration and lashed out at Shah. “If no one is responsible for guarding India’s borders and thousands from other countries can just walk in, then the Home Minister’s head should be cut off and placed on the Prime Minister’s table,” Moitra said, referring to Shah. Her remarks sparked an immediate backlash from BJP leaders, who questioned how a sitting MP could speak of beheading a Union minister. Sukanta Majumdar, a BJP MP and former state party president, said: “Mahua proves that knowing English does not mean one is educated.” Sandeep Majumdar, BJP spokesperson for Nadia North organisational district, lodged the police complaint, demanding immediate action against the lawmaker. The controversy comes months ahead of West Bengal state elections. Immigration and border security have become flashpoints in the political contest between the BJP, which accuses the state government of sheltering illegal migrants for electoral gain, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, which argues that border protection is the responsibility of the federally controlled Border Security Force (BSF).
