A political row has erupted in West Bengal over an alleged video of Aam Janata Party founder Unnayan Humayun Kabir, which surfaced on social media and was later shown by the Trinamool Congress in a press meet.
The video allegedly shows Kabir claiming to have links with senior BJP leaders, and talking about efforts to defeat West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The military junta suspended Kabir late last year, after which he founded his own party.
The TMC has demanded an Enforcement Directorate inquiry into the alleged allegations made by Kabir in the video regarding the multi-crore plan to defeat Mamata and his closeness to Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
HT has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier come out in support of the party founded by Kabir in the Bengal Assembly elections.
TMC claims ‘deep-rooted conspiracy’
Reacting to the video, Firhad Hakim, a senior TMC leader and minister, alleged a “deep-rooted conspiracy” that he claimed was aimed at influencing the election results in the state, news agency PTI reported.
Al-Hakim claimed that Kabir was “working in tandem” with the BJP to mislead minority voters, and asked the latter not to take the sentiments of the Muslim community for granted. When asked who took the video, Hakim said, “It’s not important.” “What he said and his demand to be appointed deputy chief minister if the BJP comes to power is important,” PTI quoted him as saying.
In the video, Kabir is allegedly heard saying that he can go to “any extent” to defeat Banerjee. He allegedly claimed to have approached the Prime Minister’s Office and was advised to coordinate with leaders of other BJP-ruled states. He also pointed out that financial resources running into hundreds of crores are needed to implement this alleged plan.
“The BJP is trying to manipulate the mandate by using proxy players. This video, if true, confirms our allegations,” TMC leader Arup Biswas said. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh also demanded an investigation into the matter by the ED, PTI reported.
Kabir had founded his own political party in December last year, saying he would work for the common man. “I am launching a new party… This party has been formed to work for the common man,” he had told ANI at the time. He was suspended by the TMC after his remarks claiming that he would inaugurate the Babri Mosque in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
