Anubrata Mondal gets isolated in Trinamool for using red beacon on car

Kolkata, April 29 (IANS) Trinamool Congress strongman and the party's Birbhum district President, Anubrata Mondal, seems to getting isolated within his own party for using a red beacon with flasher on his vehicle.

Hours after a PIL was filed at the Calcutta High Court on Friday challenging the use of red beacon on Mondal's vehicle, the state Transport Minister Firhad Hakim, who is also the Mayor of Kolkata, told mediapersons that Mondal had no right to use the red beacon on his vehicle.

"It was unfair on Mondal's part to use the red beacon on his vehicle. He has absolutely no right to do that since he does not figure in the list of people entitled to use red beacons on their vehicles. No one is above the law. I have given clear instructions so that the red beacon is immediately removed from his vehicle," Hakim said.

At the same time, he said that the state transport department has decided to become more strict against those using red or blue beacons on their vehicles without proper authorisation.

"In future, such offending vehicles will be confiscated. The transport department will shortly issue a notification in this matter," Kakim said.

According to the state government, red beacons with flashers can be used on the vehicles of the Governor, Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers, justices of Calcutta High Court and the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly.

Red beacons without flashers can be used on the vehicles of the ministers of state, deputy speaker of the state Assembly, Mayor of Kolkata and the chief secretary.

Mondal falls under none of the above categories.