West Bengal CM blames Trinamool regime for warehouse tragedy

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during his visit to SSKM Hospital to meet those injured in the Taratala warehouse collapse in Kolkata on June 24, 2026. Photo: CMO/ANI Video Grab

A political war of words has erupted in West Bengal over the Taratala warehouse collapse, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari accusing the former Trinamool Congress regime of irregularities and corruption that led to such a tragedy.

“Taking money everywhere has turned the city of joy into a city of death. This (accident) is the result of your sins,” the chief minister said in the State Assembly. Mr Adhikari said former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim had also signed off on the collapsed warehouse proposal, adding that “Nobody will be spared”.

The collapse of a warehouse under construction in Kolkata claimed 11 lives and the chief minister repeatedly pointed out that the construction plan was flawed. During his speech in the House, Mr. Adhikari said that no building plan from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was approved without the signature of the ‘kali’. The chief minister was referring to Kalicharan Banerjee, a former officer on special duty to former mayor Firhad Hakim.

“Don’t we know what was going on in KMC? If Kali is picked up (arrested), everything will come out. No plan was approved without ‘Kali’. Everyone knows that Kali named Camac Street. This Kali is building your Trinamool Bhavan next to the bypass for ₹200 million. The minister will take money from here and send whatever we found there. We know. Later that day, the Calcutta police arrested Kalicharan Banerjee in a warehouse collapse case in Taratale.

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The development puts Firhad Hakim, MLA from Kolkata Port and former mayor on the spot. Mr. Hakim shifted allegiance from Mamata Banerjee to the rebel group of MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. Mr. Hakim also tried to warm up to the BJP regime by praising Suvenda Adhikari and was recently seen teaching newly elected BJP MLAs about state assembly procedures.

Camac Street, where Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee used to operate, was also mentioned in the chief minister’s speech. Sources close to Mr. Banerjee said that an FIR was registered against Kalicharan Banerjee during the Trinamool regime.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee loyalist and MLA Kunal Ghosh said that if the former mayor was involved in corruption, he should be arrested. Another Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra said the chief minister is claiming that the building plan bore the signature of former mayor Firhad Hakim, while he is also considered one of the leaders of the group of 65 MLAs.

“This raises questions of double standards. Opposition leaders are immediately arrested for minor incidents, but similar action was not taken in a case involving the death of 11 people,” the Trinamool MP said.

Published – 26 Jun 2026 03:08 IST