Making a contemptuous remark against a sitting Calcutta High Court judge, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh on Thursday said that it was due to the orders passed by the said judge that Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari was getting increasingly reckless in his actions.
Ghosh a general secretary of TMC and also its spokesperson attacked Justice Rajshekhar Mantha for allowing judicial protection to Adhikari against FIRs and arbitrary arrests by the police.
Ghosh’s statement came a day after three persons died in a stampede at Asansol where thousands of people had gathered in a programme where Adhikari was to distribute blankets to the members of the weaker sections of the society.
Drawing instant criticism from the legal fraternity Ghosh said the manner in which Justice Mantha had given protection to Adhikari from all FIRs was anything but judicious.
Saying that he had full respect for the judiciary Ghosh said “the manner in which Justice Mantha has given immunity — from all past and future FIRs — to Suvendu Adhikari is undemocratic and biased.”
The court’s protection had made Adhikari reckless a big example of which was the Wednesday’s stampede that killed three persons, Ghosh said.
“Justice Mantha will have to take responsibility for the tragedy,” Ghosh said wondering “in which law a court can stop actions from being taken against a person who is at fault … what kind of law it is … I am not criticising the judicial system but I am with hope that the Judge will review his order in the Court.”
Hearing a petition, the Judge had early this month directed the police not to take any action on past or future FIRs lodged against Adhikari. The State Government has moved the Division Bench to get the order providing judicial immunity to Adhikari vacated.
The Opposition Leader —who has been a senior TMC leader with anumber of important portfolios in Mamata Banerjee cabinet changed sides just ahead of the last year’s Assembly elections — has been engaged in a fierce turf war with Abhishek Banerjee the Trinamool Congress national general secretary and nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Ghosh’s Thursday statement is seen against the backdrop of the ongoing battle between Adhikari and junior Banerjee. Slamming Ghosh advocate Sabyasachi Bhattacharya said “whatever Mr Ghosh has said is contemptuous .”