A.K. Ganguly emerges as rallying point for Opposition

Retired Supreme Court Judge and former chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) Justice (retd) Asok Kumar Ganguly has become the rallying point for the Opposition in Bengal for having “larger alliance” against the Trinamool Congress.

Senior leaders of the Opposition, including Leader of Opposition and Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, and senior Congress leaders of the State are making a beeline to meet him over the past few weeks.

Speaking to

The Hindu on Saturday, Justice (retd) Ganguly said that he is working on a citizen’s charter, which will highlight certain basic fundamental rights that are being violated by the political parties in power.

“Right to the Freedom of Expression has been shunted. The charter will also raise issues like police should work without the influence of political party,” the former WBHRC chairperson said.

During his tenure at WBHRC he had directed awarding compensation to Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra and farmer Shiladitya Chowdhury raising questions on their arrest.

While Mr. Mahaptara had to spend a night in police custody for forwarding an e-mail containing graphics of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mr. Chowdhury was arrested for asking questions at a public rally of Ms. Banerjee.

After he submitted his resignation as chairperson WBHRC in January 2014 over allegations of sexual harassment by an intern, Justice Ganguly had became one of the key faces of civil society in the State heading a forum called Save Democracy Forum. Most of his remarks since then have been directed against the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The political circles are also rife with speculation that he may be a candidate against the ruling party in the upcoming polls. Mr. Ganguly, however, is awaiting the outcome of talks between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress for having an electoral understanding for the upcoming polls.

“Even if he does not contest polls, he will be the face of the civil society who will raise the issue of intolerance of dissent against Trinamool. We expect him to play a big role in the upcoming polls,” a senior State Congress leader who met him on Friday said.

The political circles are rife with speculation that he may be a candidate against the ruling party in the upcoming polls