Shamik Bhattacharya
West Bengal BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya has issued a stern warning to party workers accused of extortion, giving them 15 days to reform or face strict organisational action.
Addressing a gathering at the IIT Kharagpur Research Park in Rajarhat on Saturday, Bhattacharya said the BJP would not tolerate extortion or misuse of the party’s name.
Bhattacharya acknowledged that complaints had emerged against some individuals using the BJP banner for extortion.
However, he suggested that many of them had recently switched from other political parties.
He reiterated that the state government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari follows a “zero-tolerance” policy against extortion, while the BJP organisation is also taking disciplinary measures.
“We are giving them another 15 days. After that, they will understand what the BJP is,” he warned.
Referring to recent incidents in which eggs were thrown at arrested politicians accused of corruption, Bhattacharya warned party workers not to assume they were immune from public anger.
“The eggs can also fly in the other direction,” he remarked, cautioning workers against abusing political power.
He argued that political dominance is never permanent and warned against arrogance among those enjoying power.
Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh described Bhattacharya’s statement as a responsible one but questioned whether BJP workers across districts would actually follow his instructions.
According to Ghosh, Bhattacharya had previously outlined organisational reforms that were not always implemented at the grassroots level.
Political observers believe the remarks reflect the BJP leadership’s attempt to distance itself from allegations of extortion and reinforce its public commitment to clean governance following its rise to power in West Bengal.
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