Birbhum Trinamul president Anubrata Mondal on Saturday hinted that Anarul Hossain, the former Trinamul president of Rampurhat-I block, became a member of the poll committee for Rampurhat municipality as Asish Banerjee, the Rampurhat MLA and the deputy Speaker of state Assembly, wanted him there.
In the aftermath of the Bogtui massacre, Anubrata’s bid to distance himself from Anarul, arrested for not calling police on the March 21 night of carnage, was contested by some in the party who circulated a document on Friday in which the Trinamul president of Birbhum nominated Anarul as a member of a committee that oversaw the recent civic polls for Ramupurhat on behalf of Trinamul.
On Thursday, Anubrata had said that he wanted to replace Anarul from the post of block president, but kept him following a written request from Banerjee. A purported letter from Banerjee to Mondal also surfaced that day.
“Asish da was all in all in the committee (Banerjee was the convener of the poll committee). Asish da gave the names... Whose name is there on this document? Anarul Hossain’s, right? ” asked Anubrata.
The committee with Anarul's name featuring on the top to spearhead the party's campaign for Rampurhat municipality, which went to the polls on February 27, was formed on February 5.
Anubrata presented papers of a similar election committees of at least four other civic bodies in the district and said local block presidents were a member of each of these committees. “It is not only in Rampurhat, but in all other municipalities, the respective block presidents were members of election committees,” said Anubrata.
Anarul was arrested by police on March 24 within two hours of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s direction during her visit to Bogtui.
As a rejoinder to Anubrata, the Rampurhat MLA hit back saying that the committee was formed without his consent.
“He (Anubrata) not only signed the document but all the committee members were selected by him. My consent was not taken by him before selecting the names,” he said.
As both Trinamul senior leaders of the party continued to blame each other in their bid distance themselves from Anarul, some Trinamul leaders in Birbhum wondered about the fall out of the Bogtui incident on the party that faces panchayat elections next year. A senior Trinamul leader blamed Anubrata for starting the blame game and said Anarul ‘attended all meetings of Anubrata in Bolpur” and also shared “warm ties” with Banerjee. He added that this bid to distance themselves from Anarul would take them nowehere.
Cattle case summons
The CBI has summoned Anubrata for questioning in connection with its probe into the alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling case. This is the fifth notice to Anubrata by the agency asking him to appear for questioning. This time, he has been asked to appear before the CBI at Nizam Place office of the central agency in Calcutta on April 6.
The CBI's notice comes within days of the Calcutta High Court upholding a single bench order that refused to grant Mondal protection from arrest in the case. The central agency had earlier summoned Mondal for questioning on February 14 and 25, and March 4 and 15. The heavyweight leader has shied away citing ill health.
