Mukul Asks Mamata to Come Clean on 'Biswa Bangla' Logo, Alleges It's Owned by Her Nephew

Kolkata: A day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that she is the creator of the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo and had given it to the state government “to use it for free”, BJP leader Mukul Roy questioned her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s intention behind applying to register the logo as a proprietor.

Mukul Roy, who was one of the founding members of Trinamool Congress along with Mamata Banerjee, moved to the BJP in a dramatic move last month.

Addressing a press conference at the state BJP headquarters, Roy said, “There is a lot of confusion regarding ownership of the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo. While our chief minister claims that she has created it and gave it to the state government to use the logo. Recently, we came to know that a TMC MP (hinting at Abhishek) had laid claims on the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo in November 2013. We are confused and we demand that the state government comes out with a clarification regarding this.”

Demanding a high-level probe into the matter, Roy said, “The chain of events regarding the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo between the state government and a TMC MP is highly suspicious. I would like to question the TMC MP if he has anything to do with the logo and why did he write a letter to the Trademarks Registry Office in Kolkata to withdraw all claims on the same.”

Roy added that the TMC MP has left everyone confused when in one of his affidavits, Abhishek had claimed that he had applied to the Union patent authorities to register for the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo in November 2013, with the consent of the Mamata Banerjee.

“We are not here to criticize anyone. The people of Bengal want to know the inside story of the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo,” he added.

The ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo was launched on September 16, 2013, at a government event.

On November 13, Roy had alleged that the ‘Biswa Bangla’ project is nothing but a private company owned by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Abhishek’s father Amit Banerjee is Mamata Banerjee’s brother.

In his first public rally in Kolkata after joining the BJP, Mukul had said, “We all know that the U-17 FIFA tournament was sponsored by ‘Biswa Bangla’, but many of you don’t know what is Biswa Bangla. I would like to reveal it today that it is not a government entity, but a private company which is owned by Abhishek Banerjee. The company’s address is 30B Harish Chatterjee Street."

During its launch, it was said that the Biswa Bangla Marketing Corporation was set up to help Bengal’s weavers, craftsmen and custodians of heritage. Its main objective was to take Bengal’s art and craft at a global level through identification, documentation, conservation and revival of traditional arts.

“There is a need to go deep inside the ‘Biswa Bangla’ controversy. Not the least, the mouthpiece of TMC, ‘Jago Bangla’ is also a private company and owned by Abhishek. Going by the trend - Trinamool Congress is now a Private Company,” Mukul Roy alleged.