Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 18 (ANI): Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday accused the BJP of attempting to "hijack democracy" after the party's Nandigram Assembly bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was allegedly arrested, claiming that a "dormant 19-year-old case from 2007" was used to arrest him shortly after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended support to the Congress candidate.
In a post shared on X, Venugopal said, "Democracy is on ventilator in BJP’s West Bengal. This is BJP’s latest effort to ensure 'Opposition-Mukt Bharat', successfully converting our great Constitutional democracy into a Banana Republic."
"Using a dormant 19-year old case from 2007 to arrest our candidate - minutes after Mamata Banerjee ji extended support - is a sign that BJP will go to any lengths to hijack democracy," he added.
Venugopal said Congress would not be intimidated by such actions.
"We are the party that fought the oppressive British rule and drove them away, these petty intimidation tactics by their cheap copycats are not going to scare us. We will stand tall against this misuse of power, and we will ensure the BJP’s defeat," he said.
https://x.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/2100953218910142820
Meanwhile, West Bengal Congress President Shubhankar Sarkar reacted to the alleged detention of Milan Pradhan and said the party was not clear whether he had been formally arrested.
Speaking to ANI, Sarkar said, "What will I say about this? He hasn't been shown arrested yet. The police came and took him, but they haven't shown an arrest yet. It's not clear what's going on."
Addressing a press conference, Sarkar said Congress candidate Milan Pradhan had been campaigning across Nandigram after the scrutiny of nomination papers on Thursday.
"Our National Congress candidate Milan Pradhan has been campaigning since morning. Yesterday, after the scrutiny, they campaigned everywhere. Today, a little while ago, he spoke to me and said that a climate of fear is being created everywhere," he said.
Sarkar alleged that around 15 minutes after his conversation with Pradhan, police arrived at the hotel in Chandipur where the Congress candidate was staying and took him away.
"First, some people in plain clothes arrived. What we have heard, what the hotel owner is saying, and what our state Congress general secretary Subhashish Bhattacharya, who was present there, asked them why they had come to arrest him. They didn't give any reason, as far as we know from the hotel owner," he said.
He claimed that police officials told them that Pradhan would be taken either to Chandipur police station or Nandigram police station, but Congress leaders were informed at both stations that they had no information about the matter.
Sarkar said Congress would approach the High Court and had already submitted a written complaint to the Election Commission.
"We want to know where our candidate is right now," he said.
On Mamata Banerjee announcing support for Congress in Nandigram, Sarkar said the party welcomed support from all those opposing the BJP.
"If any political party or any person comes forward to support Congress, we welcome them. If someone else gets scared of their support, or someone else gets happy about it, that's up to them," he said.
Banerjee had earlier announced that her TMC faction would support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram, calling Congress a "sister party" and saying the decision was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc.
"In Nandigram, we are going to give our support to the Congress party. It is for the greater interest of the country. Rejinagar, I will decide later. In Assam, we are not contesting," Banerjee had said.
The Congress has alleged that Pradhan was taken away by police shortly after Banerjee announced support for his candidature. The party has demanded clarity from the administration and the Election Commission regarding his whereabouts.
The Nandigram Assembly bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with counting of votes set for October 9. Congress has fielded Milan Pradhan, while the BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath and the CPI has fielded Shanti Gopal Giri. (ANI)
"Democracy on ventilator": Venugopal slams BJP over Congress Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan's arrest
