‘I don’t know how he came here’: Shamik Bhattacharya responds to TMC’s claim about Suvendu Adhikari’s nephew

Kolkata: The Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede, which claimed 19 lives, has triggered a political confrontation in West Bengal, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleging links between the puja committee and the family of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Shamik Bhattacharya has dismissed the allegation, saying he was unaware of any such involvement and believed Adhikari’s nephew was a minor.

The TMC raised the issue in a Facebook post on Saturday, questioning the accountability of those associated with the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal.

The party alleged that Suvendu Adhikari’s nephew, Debdeep Adhikari, was closely associated with the puja committee and claimed a BJP MLA chaired it.

The post also questioned who should be held responsible for the deaths and demanded the resignation of CM Adhikari.

The allegations have sparked a political exchange between the ruling party and the Opposition after the tragedy.

Responding to the claims, Bhattacharya said he had no knowledge of Debdeep Adhikari’s alleged involvement with the puja committee.

'I knew he was a minor. I do not know whether he has become an adult. He lives in Contai (also known as Kanthi), so I do not know how he came here,' the BJP state president said.

TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh also questioned the Chief Minister's and the authorities' role in the incident.

He asked why the situation had not been addressed earlier and questioned the action taken against those associated with the puja committee.

'Instead of taking action against those whose names prominently feature on the committee list, who is being arrested?' Ghosh said.

CPM leader Shatarup Ghosh also criticised the government over the incident, alleging that political figures linked to the ruling establishment and the BJP were associated with the event.

He questioned the deployment of police personnel and called for accountability following the deaths.

The tragedy has raised questions about crowd management, police deployment and the preparedness of the organisers.

The political parties have traded allegations over the incident, with the TMC targeting the BJP over the alleged involvement of Adhikari’s nephew and the BJP questioning the basis of the claim.

The allegation regarding Debdeep Adhikari’s association with the puja committee has not been independently established in the information available. The circumstances leading to the deaths and the responsibility of the organisers and authorities remain key questions surrounding the incident.