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The office of Lok Sabha Member of Parliament and Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Amtala of South 24 Parganas district was demolished by the district administration on Saturday after officials alleged that the structure had been constructed without an approved building plan and that no response was received to repeated official notices. The action triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of carrying out an act of political revenge.
A bulldozer was deployed at the site on Saturday morning to demolish the office building. A large police contingent was stationed in the area, and the demolition was carried out only after the administration established a security cordon around the premises, according to an official.
The South 24 Parganas district administration first issued a notice to Abhishek Banerjee's office on June 30, seeking explanations and supporting documents regarding the approvals and permissions related to the construction of the office building. A second notice was served on July 7. The Diamond Harbour Member of Parliament was also directed to appear before the district administration on July 15 to submit his response.
According to administration officials, no reply was received to either of the notices, and Abhishek Banerjee did not appear before the district administration's office on the scheduled date. Officials stated that the absence of any response led the authorities to initiate stricter action, culminating in the demolition of the office.
Reacting to the demolition, the Trinamool Congress strongly condemned the action and alleged that it reflected a pattern of political retaliation. In an official statement, the party said the matter was already pending before the court and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of introducing a "bulldozer culture" in West Bengal after assuming power. The party described the demolition as an act of vengeance and alleged that it represented violent politics and the open display of criminal-style rule.
The demolition comes against the backdrop of significant political changes in West Bengal. After governing the state for 15 years, the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats in the 294-member Legislative Assembly in this year's election. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured victory in 208 constituencies, and former Mamata Banerjee aide Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as Chief Minister.
Following the electoral defeat, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has been confronted with a three-pronged internal rebellion. The political crisis began when a large group of Members of the Legislative Assembly sided with Ritabrata Banerjee, who is now the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. At least 20 Lok Sabha Members of Parliament also rebelled and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. In addition, several Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament resigned from the Trinamool Congress, and three of them—Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik—subsequently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The demolition of Abhishek Banerjee's office has intensified the political confrontation in West Bengal, with the administration maintaining that the action followed non-compliance with official notices, while the Trinamool Congress has characterized the move as politically motivated. The incident is expected to remain a significant point of contention as legal and political developments continue.
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