The Kolkata Municipal Corporation launched a demolition drive to remove alleged illegal structures outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, while the Calcutta High Court reserved its order on his security petition and addressed remarks made against the judiciary.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation launched a demolition drive to remove alleged illegal structures outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, while the Calcutta High Court reserved its order on his security petition and addressed remarks made against the judiciary.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation launched a demolition drive to remove alleged illegal structures outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, while the Calcutta High Court reserved its order on his security petition and addressed remarks made against the judiciary.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday launched a drive to remove alleged illegal structures encroaching on the footpath outside Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s residence at 121, Kalighat Road. The action followed a notice issued to the MP on Wednesday, stating that the structures were obstructing pedestrian movement and causing inconvenience to the public.

The structures were razed to the ground on Thursday—an iron boundary wall, a sliding iron gate, police kiosks made of bamboo and tin, CCTV cameras installed by the MP on the footpath, and flower pots were removed. KMC officials brought gas cutters along with them to bring down the gate and other structures.

Abhishek reacted on social media, saying, “No number of bulldozers can silence my voice or break my resolve. I will continue my fight against the Bangla Birodhis. I will neither retreat nor budge an inch until my last breath.”

The Calcutta High Court (CHC) came down heavily on the MP later in the day while hearing his petition challenging the downgrading of his security from Z+ to the X category. The court reserved its order on the changes to Abhishek’s security.

The court also took serious note of alleged derogatory remarks made by Abhishek against the judiciary. Additional Advocate General Billwadal Bhattacharya urged the court to initiate suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the MP. Video footage of an interview in which Abhishek allegedly cast aspersions on the court and made derogatory remarks was produced.

The judge remarked, “You ask your client, who are the judges with the BJP and who aren’t. Since he is so intelligent, let him give a list. I will see.”

“Your client is writing the ACR (Annual Confidential Report) of the judges,” added the judge.

Abhishek’s counsel, Soyeb Alam, however, argued that the comments were made in the context of previous attacks that had taken place while the MP’s family members were inside the residence. His counsel further argued that the petitioner was seeking protection under Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.

Abhishek targeted in the past as well

In May, KMC had issued statutory compliance notices to the MP under the KMC Act, 1980, mentioning unauthorised portions of properties belonging to him and his family. These included his Harish Mukherjee Road house and properties related to his office, Leaps and Bounds Private Limited.

In August, KMC officials and police from the Shakespeare Sarani police station reached the MP’s office at 9, Camac Street, with a notice regarding illegal billboards and tore down flex banners belonging to the MP in public spaces, including on the footpath outside his office and on the terrace.

In July, portions in front of the MP’s Amtala party office in South 24 Parganas district were brought down by bulldozers as they were allegedly illegal and had been constructed without an approved building plan.

The BJP and KMC maintain that they are following protocols regarding illegal structures, while the MP says he has been a constant target of the ruling establishment.