Days after the arrest of two senior Trinamool Congress leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Friday said that another Bengal Minister and TMC's minority face Firhad Hakim is next in line.
Saying that both the jailed TMC leaders were repeatedly falling sick in jail and required a Hakim (doctor) to take care of them Majumdar told at the end of a massive rally a Behrampore in Murshidabad that "soon Trinamool Congress' Hakim will be sent in to treat" Chatterjee and Mondal in jail.
Hakim immediately hit back saying he was not afraid of going to jail but asked Majumdar to stop humiliating him in public.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested former Bengal minister and TMC secretary general Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee after more than Rs 50 crore and property deeds worth many more crores were recovered from her house. The CBI arrested Mondal from Bolpur in relation to cow smuggling case. Hakim who is facing charges in Narada pay off case and also defending a PIL on disproportionate asset in the Calcutta High Court hit back saying he was not afraid of going to jail.
"I am only afraid of losing prestige... I am not afraid of going to jail ... I have not committed any crime so as to be humiliated like this," the powerful Brngal minister said adding he would continue to raise hi voice against "saffron communalism," even if he is sent to jail.
"It is strange to accept the narrative that those who are in opposition parties are crminals and corrupt... But as soon as they enter the BJP's washing machine they are clean," Hakim said asking Majumdar to "bring all the agencies with you ... I am ready to go to jail... But only tell me in advance about the conspiracy and false case you are planning against me."
Meanwhile in more embarassment for ruling Trinamool Congress, senior party MP Saugato Roy on Friday said that some corruption was acceptable in order to run bigger parties.
The BJP and Left immediately reacted saying Roy's statement amounted to offering apology for rampant corruption that the party leaders were involved in. "It only shows that TMC leaders are not ashamed of their black deeds," CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty said.