'TMC challenged me...': Calcutta HC's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay announces resignation, to join politics
Justice Gangopadhyay said he had not made any decision on whether he will be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but said he was open to joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM).
- Mar 3, 2024,
- Updated Mar 3, 2024 5:05 PM IST
Calcutta High Court's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Sunday announced his resignation from the judiciary and said he will be joining politics. "I have been challenged to come and fight on the (electoral) field several times by the ruling party's (TMC's) leaders, so I thought why not," Justice Gangopadhyay said in an interview with Bengal's ABP Ananda.
Justice Gangopadhyay said he had not made any decision on whether he will be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but said he was open to joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM).
"No decisions regarding my candidature for Lok Sabha polls, but I would like to thank the ruling party in West Bengal for challenging me to enter the political field," said Justice Gangopadhyay, who is due to retire in August 2024.
The judge said his last day at the Calcutta High Court would be Monday, and he would send his resignation letter to the President on Tuesday.
This comes a day after the BJP announced its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. In the first list, candidates were announced for 20 of 42 seats in West Bengal.
The TMC had, in the last few years, been complaining that Justice Gangopadhyay was making adverse comments against the party and its leaders in certain cases.
In September 2023, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said Justice Gangopadhyay should "resign (as a judge) and join politics". His remarks came after the judge, while hearing a case on Covid compensation, said there was "a Bhaipo who had a four-storeyed house worth a crore".
"One gets a compensation of Rs 2 lakh after dying from consuming illicit liquor. How much does one get after dying of Covid? Is anyone given the money at all?" he asked. "There is a Bhaipo (nephew) who has a four-storeyed home. The house is worth a crore. Where does so much money come from?" he said.
Calcutta High Court's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Sunday announced his resignation from the judiciary and said he will be joining politics. "I have been challenged to come and fight on the (electoral) field several times by the ruling party's (TMC's) leaders, so I thought why not," Justice Gangopadhyay said in an interview with Bengal's ABP Ananda.
Justice Gangopadhyay said he had not made any decision on whether he will be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but said he was open to joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM).
"No decisions regarding my candidature for Lok Sabha polls, but I would like to thank the ruling party in West Bengal for challenging me to enter the political field," said Justice Gangopadhyay, who is due to retire in August 2024.
The judge said his last day at the Calcutta High Court would be Monday, and he would send his resignation letter to the President on Tuesday.
This comes a day after the BJP announced its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. In the first list, candidates were announced for 20 of 42 seats in West Bengal.
The TMC had, in the last few years, been complaining that Justice Gangopadhyay was making adverse comments against the party and its leaders in certain cases.
In September 2023, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said Justice Gangopadhyay should "resign (as a judge) and join politics". His remarks came after the judge, while hearing a case on Covid compensation, said there was "a Bhaipo who had a four-storeyed house worth a crore".
"One gets a compensation of Rs 2 lakh after dying from consuming illicit liquor. How much does one get after dying of Covid? Is anyone given the money at all?" he asked. "There is a Bhaipo (nephew) who has a four-storeyed home. The house is worth a crore. Where does so much money come from?" he said.