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Adhikari wrote a letter to the West Bengal Chief Secretary, conveying that he will not attend the annual Lokayukta committee meeting to be chaired by Mamata Banerjee.
Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari | File Image
West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary of the state, formally conveying that he will not attend the annual Lokayukta committee meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 1, in the latest escalation of the fight between the TMC and BJP.
In his letter, Adhikari said he cannot sit with Banerjee, whom he accused of undermining constitutional values, misusing institutions, suppressing dissent, and violating human rights. He argued that discussing human rights or anti-corruption under her leadership would be meaningless.
“Let me reiterate that I hold the highest institutional respect for constitutional offices and statutory mechanisms. Howeverm, the actions of those currently wielding executive authority in West Bengal have consistently undermined such institutions to the point where participation i any process convened by them becomes an exercise in legitimising the very erosion they have orchestrated,” he said in his letter.
Adhikari said Mamata Banerjee’s conduct over the years had demonstrated a “habitual and deliberate contempt for constitutional values, administrative probity and the fundamental rights of citizens.”
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has written to the West Bengal Chief Secretary refusing to attend the Lokayukta meeting. He says he cannot sit with the Chief Minister, whom he accuses of undermining constitutional values, misusing institutions,… pic.twitter.com/9zn34qHn3F— IANS (@ians_india) November 30, 2025
‘Human Rights Mocked’
He also accused the TMC administration of orchestrating attacks on BJP leaders, including Khagen Murmu and Shankar Ghosh. “If elected representatives of the Opposition are not safe, nothing more needs to be said about the fate of ordinary Opposition karyakartas who are subjected to inhumane torture on an almost daily basis at the hands of the ruling party’s cadre,” he wrote.
He alleged that even he was himself attacked by TMC goons when he visited Kali Puja, and claimed the CM remained silent when obscene AI-generated images of BJP leaders Keya Ghosh and Rekha Patra were shared.
“The Chief Minister’s disregard for human rights is not incidental – it is systemic. Her government model thrives on fear, intimidation and selective enforcement of the law. The institutions meant to defend the vulnerable have been weaponised to persecute them. The police act as political foot soldiers, accountability mechanisms have been throttled and dissent is met with violence. Under her regime, human rights are not merely violated, they are mocked,” he added.
His refusal comes at a time when both parties are sharpening narratives around political violence, governance failures and corruption, with the Assembly elections barely months away.
The meeting, scheduled for December 1 at Nabanna, is part of the annual institutional review held under the CM’s leadership. While the LoP is invited as a member of the Lokayukta Committee, Adhikari has skipped every such meeting since assuming the position.
A senior TMC leader told news agency PTI that Adhikari’s decision not to attend the meeting reflects how the BJP has mixed up administrative meetings with politics. “They talk about fighting corruption but don’t want to attend meeting on Lokayukta committee meeting. This only reflects the double standards of the BJP, ” the leader said.
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
November 30, 2025, 23:15 IST
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