Congress leaders in West Bengal have objected to party colleagues and senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal’s move to defend Trinamool Congress leaders in the multi-crore Saradha ponzi scam and the Narada sting operation.
State Congress chief and Lok Sabha MP Adhir Chowdhury and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Abdul Mannan believe Singhvi and Sibal have sent “wrong signals” to the Congress workers in the state, and that the BJP was trying to benefit from it.
“I understand that both Singhvi and Sibal are professional lawyers. But they are Congress leaders, too. So I would request the party high command to restrain them. The development is unfortunate not only for the state Congress but also for me personally,” Mannan said.
“BJP leaders are taking advantage of the situation and asking Congress workers to join their party, telling them that Congress and TMC are hand in glove.”
Mannan also said that there is a possibility that Singhvi may face “the ire of Congress workers during his next visit to Bengal”.
Earlier, leaders expressed unhappiness over Sibal representing Bengal’s ruling party in the Saradha scam and (with Singhvi) in the Narada sting operation in which several TMC leaders were purportedly seen accepting wads of cash as bribes in exchange for offering favour to a fictitious company.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, leaders expressed unhappiness over Sibal representing Bengal’s ruling party in the Saradha scam and (with Singhvi) in the Narada sting operation in which several TMC leaders were purportedly seen accepting wads of cash as bribes in exchange for offering favour to a fictitious company.
{{/usCountry}}Adhir Chowdhury announced that the state Congress will not invite Sibal in any event organised by it. The current discontent stems from the two lawyers appearing in the Supreme Court to defend Kolkata Police in a case related to Saradha on Monday.
“Sibal and I appeared for the state police against the CBI. Congress, TMC or Left Front are not remotely involved in the fight between Kolkata Police and CBI. The allegations were regarding CBI summoning some officer and Kolkata Police summoning some CBI officers reciprocally, and no issue of government and politics is involved here. It was done purely in my professional capacity,” Singhvi said Wednesday.