Do what you can, we will not bow down: Abhishek

New Delhi/Kolkata: After being quizzed for about nine hours on Monday by the Enforcement Directorate officials in connection with a money laundering case arising out of a coal pilferage scam, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said his party will not succumb to any pressure exerted by the BJP.

"I have answered all the queries raised by the ED officials. Do whatever you like. I am not going to bow down before you (BJP) or sell my spine," he said, after stepping out of the ED office.

The MP from Diamond Harbour continued: "We will give our lives, put our lives at stake but not bow down. We will not sell our spine to these autocrats, to these cowards who cannot defeat us politically. Take my word, we have the fire in our belly and come what may, we will defeat them in 2024."

Talking to the media, he stated: "If BJP thinks that the Trinamool Congress will be scared or will bend, get defeated due to this (the ED case and questioning) or will sit at home like the Congress or any other party... let me tell you, we will fight it out with full vigour and will go to each such state where democracy has been murdered."

"Apko jo ukhadna hai, aap ukhad lo (Do whatever you like). TMC will defeat the BJP in the upcoming polls," he added. A video link of this media interaction was also posted by the TMC on its official Twitter handle.

Abhishek and his wife Rujira were summoned by the ED in connection with a multi-crore coal scam case. They were asked to report to the ED office in New Delhi. Rujira had informed the ED officials that in view of the pandemic it would not be possible for her to go to Delhi as she has two children. However, she will cooperate with the ED if its officials come and interrogate her in Kolkata.

Abhishek reiterated that the vindictive attitude of the BJP to scare the leaders of the Opposition parties have once been exposed.

He had come to Delhi on Sunday afternoon and went to the office of the ED at 11 am. He came out of the office at about 8 pm.

"If the BJP thinks that by letting loose the Central agencies, they will be able to stop Trinamool in making inroads in other states, they are living in a fool's paradise. We will expose them," he cautioned.

Reacting sharply to the attitude of Suvendu Adhikari who had skipped interrogation by the CID officials after getting a favourable order from the High Court, Kunal Ghosh, state secretary of Trinamool Congress said: "Here lies the difference in the attitude of Abhishek Banerjee who behaved like a tiger on Monday and Adhikari who does not have the guts to face

the investigating agency. One is a real tiger and the other one is wearing a striped garment to pose like one."