"I stood with people of Bengal:" Meet Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal, BJP candidate against Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur

Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal , who practices before the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court, is slated to contest by-elections against All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) head and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from the Bhabanipur constituency.

. Banerjee had lost the April 2021 elections from Nandigram constituency to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and has to be re-elected to the assembly within six months for her to continue as Chief Minister.

TMC's winning candidate from Bhabanipur, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the Bhabanipur seat so that the Chief Minister can get elected from there.

And it is Tibrewal who has been given the unenviable task by opposition BJP to face off against Banerjee in her stronghold - Bhabanipur where the Chief Minister has previously won twice.

. Tibrewal, a 41-year-old lawyer who is a “ Hindibhashi ” was the petitioner in the case before which Calcutta High Court in which the Court ordered probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Special Investigation Team (SIT) into incidents of post-poll violence in the State.

. Bar & Bench caught up with Tibrewal who spoke about her views on law, politics and the upcoming polls.

Below are the excerpts.

. You have taken the TMC government head-on in courts. How do you think the post-poll cases would pan out?

. There was complete denial by the State government which said that nothing happened and that there was no violence in Bengal. People and voters of Bengal were murdered. There was gruesome killings and there was denial by the spiteful Chief Minister. She kept on saying nothing happened when loot, arson, killings, rapes took place all around.

When it was her responsibility to stand by the side of the people so that they get justice, she did not say a word and was in denial. It was me who stood with the people of West Bengal and I continued my fight in court. People of Bengal know that I stand with them. I have built that confidence.

. Bengali sub-nationalism has often been raked up for elections in West Bengal. Do you think it will have any role to play in Bhabanipur?

. I don't think anything like that will happen as I don’t believe in divisive politics. I don’t want to say anything against or in favor of the Hindibhashis ( people who speak Hindi or are non-Bengalis) . For me all are people of Bengal, irrespective of caste and creed.

Trinamool Congress practices divisive politics and that is why there is only 40 percent polling in Bhabanipur because they (TMC) do not allow Hindbhashis to vote.

Regarding my surname, I am a Bengali in all senses as I was born in Bengal and so was my father. Though I am Hindibhashi, I stood with Bengalis who were looted and raped. I stood against such vandalism against the poor and oppressed.

. TMC's winning candidate Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated his seat so that the chief minister can fight from Bhabanipur. Do you think this is fair play under Article 164?

. This is nothing but disrespecting the voters of Bengal and Bhabanipur who voted for Sohandeb and Trinamool Congress. This means mandate of people was disrespected by asking him to vacate the seat forcefully so that Mamata Banerjee can contest as it is mandatory for her to contest in order to retain her chair.

They forced a sitting MLA to resign. It is a complete disrespect towards democracy.

. Do you think there was any conflict of interest in bringing post-poll cases to court since you were earlier a BJP candidate in assembly elections (Tibrewal had contested from Entally constituency in April 2021 and lost to TMC candidate)?

. When I approached the High Court, I had told the Court that I was also attacked. I highlighted how people were rendered homeless. I visited each and every district for the last three to four months. I did not know then that I would be offered a ticket (again). This candidature came as a surprise to me as it was to you.

. How do you see TMC's apprehensions about certain High Court judges hearing certain cases?

. I have complete belief in the judiciary. I am a law-abiding citizen. I speak for the people. If I don’t trust the judiciary, then there is no reason in practicing law.

. Law or politics?

. There should be respect for law in politics. Politics is the kind of social work I want to do for people which is my passion and law is my profession.

"I stood with people of Bengal:" Meet Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal, BJP candidate against Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur

Debayan Roy

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