Child trafficking case: Fissures in Bengal BJP

Suspect close to senior leaders: Roopa

Following on the heels of BJP general secretary Juhi Chowdhury being named in connection with a child trafficking case in Jalpaiguri, Rajya Sabha MP and State women’s wing president Roopa Ganguly has alleged that State party president Dilip Ghosh had “advised” her to make Ms. Chowdhury an office bearer.

Ms. Ganguly’s comments were made in posts to a Whatsapp group of the party’s woman’s wing earlier this week. Local media have since published the remarks which were shared by party workers.

Juhi untraced

Ms. Chowdhury meanwhile is yet to be traced by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) which is probing the case. Three persons have been arrested so far.

“And you all will be surprised to know that Dilip-

da (Dilip Ghosh) called me in his room and advised me to make her (Juhi Chowdhury) GS (general secretary),” Ms. Ganguly said in her post.

The former actor further said she came to know about Ms. Chowdhury through a party letter signed by another senior BJP leader and general secretary Pratap Bandyopadhyay, where he has referred to Ms. Chowdhury as a general secretary. “Pratap-

da (Pratap Bandyopadhyay) has signed a doc (document) where he had written Juhi’s name as gs (general secretary) and that’s how I have come to known Juhi and now I know her for five to six months,” she said.

“I could have put all the responsibility to the mother (party) BJP since I have written documents…I didn’t,” said Ms. Ganguly defending her decision to appoint Ms. Chowdhury

While Ms. Ganguly could not be reached for comments on the issue, Mr. Dilip Ghosh made his displeasure clear over the allegations. He told The Hindu that “such apolitical people (Ms. Ganguly)” do not know how to speak about party affairs.