EVEN TMC MP IS NOT SAFE IN BENGAL - Who is?

Netaji's family house yesterday came under attack from a group of syndicate members owing allegiance to the ruling party.

A group of bike-borne men interrupted labourers at the residence of Sugata Bose, Trinamul MP and great-nephew of Subhas Chandra Bose, demanding why he had not procured building materials from the syndicate while repairing a portion of his Sarat Bose Road house. The house is 10 minutes by car from Netaji Bhavan on Elgin Road.

"Syndicate" is a colloquialism for construction material cartels run with the alleged backing of a section of leaders of the ruling party. The syndicate members force contractors to buy inferior building materials at high prices. They are mostly manned by unemployed foot soldiers who had been promised jobs that have failed to materialise in the absence of industrialisation.

Allegations of involvement in syndicates have been made in the past few years against several ruling party leaders.

Bose, who teaches at Harvard, had asked the group to leave, concerned about the security of his mother Krishna Bose, a former Trinamul MP who usually lives alone at the house.

But identifying themselves as supporters of the Trinamul Congress, the group dared Bose to do "whatever he wished to" and threatened to return.

Police swung into action minutes after Bose reported the matter to Ballygunge police station. CCTV footage was collected from the locality and six persons were arrested by the evening. The police, however, did not reveal their identities till late tonight.

The extortion attempt in daylight in the heart of the city and targeted at a ruling party MP is an indication of how syndicates are thriving under political patronage.

"I lodged a police complaint because of two reasons. I told the police I am concerned about the safety and security of my mother, but the bigger concern is I do not want the ordinary people to face the same ordeal," said Bose, the MP from Jadavpur.

Sources said the MP had lodged a complaint about trespassing and criminal intimidation. Officers in Lalbazar said at night they were yet to draw up the charges officially.

The police said the incident happened around 1pm when Bose heard some commotion outside his house after lunch.

A part of the balcony on the first floor of the building on 90 Sarat Bose Road was being repaired. Scaffolding -the telltale sign that puts syndicates on the scent of the prey - had been erected on the front of the building so that the masons could reach the damaged parapet. Sources said Monday was the first day of work.

Sugata Bose's family has been living in this building since 1974. His father, Sisir Bose, a doctor, had a chamber in the building.

"I heard some commotion outside. Some men were standing right outside my house and asking the masons the name of the contractor. It was a small repair job. There was no need of any contractor. Then they started demanding why the supplies were not taken from them," Bose said.

At this, Bose, concerned about the security of his 86-year-old mother who was standing nearby, took his phone and started to call the police.

"The men, seeing Bose call the police, started dropping the name of the party they belonged to and dared Bose saying: Ja ichchhe korun... police ke dakchhen? Kichhu hobe na. Amra abar ashbo (do whatever you want. You are calling the police? It's of no use. We will come back again)," an investigator said. Then they left on the bikes.

Earlier, around 10am, the same group had visited Bose's house and threatened the masons. However, since they had gone away, it was not reported to Bose.

In the evening, the police identified one of the accused on the CCTV footage and picked up the five others based on his statement.

Members of syndicates often spot their targets by identifying houses that have scaffoldings indicating that some repair or renovation is underway. The syndicate members who usually enjoy the patronage of the local clubs try to extort money from individuals or contractors if the owner of the house does not agree to buy the building material supplies from them. If the owner agrees, the deal is invariably fixed on the terms and conditions of the syndicate.

As the syndicate members enjoy political immunity, police are forced to look the other way, sources said.

Trinamul secretary-general Partha Chatterjee tonight said the party was yet to be informed. "About this, we don't know anything yet. Nothing at all, as of now," Chatterjee said.

Sources in the ruling party said there will be no direct political involvement and the case would be left to the police administration to "let the law take its own course".

[Via: Telegraph]