He must ‘practise’ what he ‘preaches’: Abhishek counters PM’s remark

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark where without taking any names he said “ancestral politics” in Bengal was resulting in huge scams in recruitment for state government jobs, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the PM should “practise” what he “preaches”.

The TMC leader also published a list of politicians across the country who are in dynastic politics. Top BJP leaders, including PM Modi or Home minister Amit Shah, on several occasions in the past attacked Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek over dynastic politics terming them as ‘Pishi Bhaipo’.

Reportedly, the Prime Minister on Tuesday while addressing virtually the ‘Rozgar Mela’ programme, is believed to have said without naming Bengal that “there is a state where there are rate-cards for every state government appointment”. “The picture that has evolved over the investigation on ‘cash for job’ in a particular state is really alarming. Every government job there has a rate card. From cleaning staff to clerks, rates are fixed for every post. One cannot get a job there without paying money,” the Prime Minister said.

“Dynastic parties prefer ‘rate cards’ for giving jobs whereas our sole aim is to safeguard the future of our youth,” the PM tweeted.

Abhishek had earlier accused BJP of indulging in dynastic politics. Taking to Twitter, he said Prime Minister Modi himself does not follow what he says as many BJP leaders have been promoting their sons and relatives within their party.

“Respected PM @narendramodi Ji, Sometimes people need to take their own advice, please practice what you preach!” Abhishek tweeted.

He also questioned how BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya’s son was inducted into politics. The list contains the name of Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh’s son, Union Home minister Amit Shah and his son Jay Shah, Opposition leader in Bengal Suvendu Adhikari and his father Sisir Adhikari. “Suvendu Adhikari is an MLA and the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Bengal, his father and elder brother are Lok Sabha members. These people have no right to talk about dynastic politics,” Abhishek said at a rally in Kultali in South 24-Parganas district.

He also challenged the BJP saying that if they declare that only one member from their families will remain in politics, he would leave politics in 24 hours and only Mamata Banerjee will be in politics from his family.

He had also urged the Prime Minister to bring a Bill in Parliament mandating only one person from a family in a particular political party.

Reportedly, veteran Trinamool leader and three-time party Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy too launched a scathing attack against the Prime Minister. “The Prime Minister’s comments prove to what level he can stoop to. I would like to ask the Prime Minister about the number of jobs that his confidante industrialists have provided,” Roy said.