Rebel TMC MP's son barred from returning Mamata's gifts, offers them to temple

The bitter internal feud engulfing the Trinamool Congress took a deeply personal turn when the son of rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed he was prevented from returning wedding gifts given by party chief Mamata Banerjee and was forced to donate them to the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata instead.

Dr Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, a psychiatrist, said he visited Banerjee's Kalighat residence on Wednesday carrying a gold necklace gifted to him by the TMC chief during his marriage, along with a personal letter. However, he alleged that police personnel and staff at the residence neither allowed him entry nor accepted the gifts.

"I waited outside for some time, but I was neither permitted to enter nor were the necklace and letter accepted by the police and staff present there," he said in a statement.

Unable to hand over the gifts personally, Dr Dastidar said he had decided to deposit the gold necklace at the Kalighat Temple as an offering to Goddess Kali.

The development comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented rebellion within the TMC following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls. Several MPs and MLAs have revolted against the party leadership, with Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigning from her party post, and emerging as one of the prominent faces of the dissident camp. The rebellion has triggered a political and legal battle between the party leadership and rebel leaders, with allegations, counter-allegations and legal notices flying thick and fast.

Last week, Dr Dastidar himself entered the spotlight after sending legal notices to several TMC MPs and leaders over remarks he described as defamatory and insulting. He has maintained that he has never been involved in politics and was being targeted solely because of his mother's political stand.

Explaining his decision to return the gifts, Dr Dastidar said it stemmed from the emotional distress caused by recent attacks against him and his family.

"I have had the deepest love, respect and affection for Mamata Banerjee since my childhood. I understand that the gifts I received from her during Durga Puja and at the time of my marriage were blessings. Such blessings are precious and cannot truly be returned," he said.

However, he said the atmosphere created by recent political hostilities had changed the meaning of those gifts for him.

"Several MPs and political leaders have made deeply hurtful and insulting remarks about me, despite the fact that I am not involved in politics. For me, an ashirvad (blessing) derives its meaning from affection, goodwill and mutual respect. An ashirwad without love loses its emotional significance," he said.

Even as he returned the gifts, Dr Dastidar stressed that his personal regard for Banerjee remained intact. "My love, respect and admiration for Mamata Banerjee remain unchanged," he said.

He also appealed to the TMC's IT cell and supporters to refrain from mocking or targeting him and his family, describing the ongoing controversy as "a deeply personal tragedy".

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