CALCUTTA, 13 September 2004 — Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s residence in south Calcutta is in the eye of a storm after revelations by a leading scholar that the fiery member of Parliament is illegally occupying a prime heritage site.
Ironically, scholar Sishutosh Samanta’s piece appeared in Purosree, the official journal of the Trinamool Congress-led Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC), sparking off a full-blown controversy.
Both the Communist Party of India-Marxist and Congress party are demanding an impartial investigation and Mamata’s eviction from 30-A and 30-B, Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat where the leader’s home and party office are located in the heart of her parliamentary constituency.
Both the properties, Shishutosh’s research shows, belong to Rani Rashmoni, a wealthy 19th century woman who earned the sobriquet of queen. She carved a niche for herself in the city’s history through philanthropic and religious activities.
Rani Rashmoni, according to several accounts whose authenticity is not doubted, purchased both properties in 1837 and lived there until her last breath.It’s not clear how Mamata, or her ancestors, started living there. Mamata — who is not related to Rani Rashmoni at all — doesn’t have a satisfactory explanation but she claims that her family has lived there for more than 100 years.
At present, besides the MP, her mother, brothers and sisters-in-law live there in a dilapidated thatched house which has been visited by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, among other VIPs. Next to it is the Trinamool Congress office.
“Mamata owns both properties through inheritance. So there is no question of the MP forcibly occupying the properties as is being alleged by her political opponents”, said Pankaj Banerjee, Trinamool Congress legislator and leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
Mayor Subroto Mukherjee, who returned yesterday from Australia, said that CMC is duty-bound to preserve all heritage buildings, adding that he would investigate whether the Trinamool Congress chief is living in one. Shishtosh, a former principal of Surendranath College, one of the city’s leading educational institutions, said that CMC land records would corroborate his findings.
