'BJP leaders believe they are above the law': Abhishek Banerjee targets BJP’s “culture of impunity”

Abhishek Banerjee launched a sharp political attack on the BJP, alleging a “culture of impunity” within the party and claiming that its leaders behave as if they are above the law. In a strongly worded statement, he cited recent incidents from Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh to argue that such actions reflect a deeper pattern in the party’s functioning.

Referring to the Shivpuri incident, Banerjee alleged that the son of BJP MLA Pritam Lodhi rammed a vehicle into five people and later blamed the victims instead of accepting responsibility. He further claimed that eyewitnesses were threatened from recording videos and that the accused allegedly told police his father’s political position could shield him even in serious cases. Banerjee said such behaviour demonstrated how political power is misused to evade accountability.

Drawing parallels, he also mentioned the Lakhimpur Kheri incident involving the son of former Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni, where multiple people were run over by a vehicle. According to Banerjee, these were not isolated events but part of a consistent pattern where power takes precedence over law and ordinary lives are undervalued. He asserted that such repeated incidents point to a systemic issue rather than individual acts.