Congress threatens disciplinary action against those involved in defacement of Kharge's poster at party office in Kolkata

New Delhi, May 20

Taking “serious note”, the Congress on Monday asked the AICC General Secretary in-charge of West Bengal to submit a report regarding the vandalism and defacing of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s poster in the party’s state office in Kolkata on Sunday.

“It has been brought to our notice that a few office-bearers and workers have made certain  uncharitable remarks against the hon’ble Congress President in media as well as on social media”, a press statement issued today by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said.

“Acts of vandalising the hoarding outside the WBPCC office have also been carried out by certain miscreants. This has hurt the sentiments of millions of party workers and supporters”, the statement added.

“We are taking a very serious note of such grave anti-party activities. The Indian National Congress shall not tolerate such public display of defiance and indiscipline”, the statement further said and added that the General Secretary in-charge of West Bengal has been directed to immediately submit a factual report of “these acts of gross indiscipline”.

The step follows defacement of Kharge’s poster in Kolkata by alleged supporters of WBPCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after Kharge publicly disapproved of his relentless criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Responding to questions at a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, Kharge said only Congress high command has the power to take a call regarding tie-up with Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.

“Mamata Banerjee is with the alliance (INDIA bloc). She has recently said that she will join the government. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not take the decision. The decision will be taken by me and the high command, and those who don’t agree will go out,” Kharge had said.

Following Kharge’s snub, several posters and hoardings of the Congress party’s national president were defaced with ink in front of the party state headquarters in Kolkata on Sunday (May 19). Kharge was described as an “agent of Trinamool Congress” on the posters and hoardings. Chowdhury, who is in his hometown Baharampur, expressed displeasure over the incident and asked the party workers to file a police complaint. The defaced posters were also removed and a case was registered.