Abhishek Banerjee's 'illegal' office demolished in Bengal
What's the story
The office of Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee was demolished on Saturday, India Today reported. The demolition took place in Amtala, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, amid heavy police deployment. Authorities alleged that the building was constructed illegally without proper authorization. Bulldozers were used to raze the structure after an administration notice was pasted on it.
Property controversy
BJP released list of 43 properties allegedly linked to Banerjee
The demolition of Banerjee's office comes after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) issued notices for 17 properties linked to him and his family members.
Among these was "Shantiniketan," Banerjee's residence on Harish Mukherjee Road.
The KMC is also controlled by the TMC.
The issue has sparked a political controversy in West Bengal, especially after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released a list of 43 properties allegedly linked to Banerjee.
Disputed claims
TMC MP disputes BJP's property claims
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has disputed the BJP's property claims.
He said the database had several people named "Abhishek Banerjee" and didn't prove that all properties belonged to the TMC leader.
The controversy comes after a similar crackdown on Mamata Banerjee-led party leaders' properties since the BJP came to power in the West Bengal Assembly elections.