File photo of Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh
The Trinamool Congress today suspended Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh for making anti-party statements, despite being issued a show cause notice.
"Despite being show caused, Ghosh has continued to speak against the party, lowering and belittling its image. The disciplinary committee met on September 27 and unanimously decided to suspend him," Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee told media persons in Kolkata.
Mr Ghosh, accusing a section of TMC leaders of suspending him "in haste" to keep him away from party workers and supporters, said "I have been punished without a trial. I have not even received the letter of show cause, though I had heard from the media that such a letter will be given to me." He, however, maintaining that she still regards Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee as his leader.
Last Friday, three Trinamool MPs - Kunal Ghosh, Shatabdi Roy and Tapas Pal - had slammed their party at a public event in Kolkata. In a first-ever revolt in the party, the three MPs alleged that a section of the party leadership was trying to ignore those who had made sacrifices for TMC's growth.
At the rally, Mr Ghosh said he was being made a sacrificial lamb in the Saradha chit fund scam. Mr Ghosh was Group CEO of Saradha's media interests but insists he was just a "salaried employee" who had nothing to do with the company's chit fund business. Two FIRs were filed against him by Saradha's employees, who allege he knew of the group's precarious finances, but did not warn them. He was also questioned by the police.
Since the rally, Mr Pal and Ms Roy kept a low profile but not Mr Ghosh. He says his life may be in danger for all that he knows of links between the Saradha chit fund scam and Trinamool leaders so he has taken steps for any eventuality. He has prepared a video statement and kept it with friends, to be released if his communications are cut off.