Rights body condemns Abhishek Banerjee’s call for ghearo of BJP leaders' homes

Kolkata, July 22 (IANS) The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), a leading rights body in West Bengal, on Saturday condemned the call given by Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to gherao the residences of BJP leaders throughout the state on August 5.

While addressing the party’s annual 'Martyrs’ Day' rally on Friday, Abhishek Banerjee had announced this agitation programme so that the BJP leaders are not be able to come out of their  homes during that period.

Later, in her speech, Mamata Banerjee also said that this demonstration should be conducted at a distance of 100 metres from the residences of the BJP leaders.

“This means the Chief Minister has given her consent to this agitation programme, only that she has asked to maintain a distance of 100 metres. Abhishek Banerjee has also asked his party workers to prepare a list of BJP leaders and workers.

"Such things used to happen in Nazi-ruled Germany. Such agitation targeting opposition leaders and workers is unthinkable and undemocratic. We request the ruling party to cancel this programme,” said APDR General Secretary, Ranjit Sur.

However, he expressed solidarity with Trinamool's cause to stage such protest, which is non-payment of Central dues to the state government under various centrally- sponsored schemes.

“I sincerely feel that the Union government should immediately pay the dues on account of such schemes, especially under the 100-day job scheme under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

"If there has been any corruption in the implementation of the scheme, the offenders should be identified and punished. But it is unjustified to hold back the payments of the workers who participated in the scheme,” Sur said.