‘Young people are leaving… there are no jobs… happiness index in Bengal is negative… Socially, we’ve gone back 100 years’: ex-HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay

On March 3, in an unprecedented move, the former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay resigned from his office and joined the BJP, raising questions of propriety and judicial independence. In an interview to The Indian Express, the former judge says he is “not yet a politician” but only a “simple political worker “of the BJP and that what appealed to him are the party’s development and nationalism planks. Excerpts:

There is a buzz you may contest the election against TMC leader (and Mamata Banerjee’s nephew) Abhishek Banerjee.

I cannot recognise any such politician of West Bengal. I talk about the politicians of West Bengal but the name you uttered… I cannot recognise any such politician in West Bengal.

But you referred to the ‘bhaipo (the nephew)’ even in court…

I have said many things in court and I cannot remember everything. But today I cannot recall any such person who is in politics. About my contesting elections, that depends entirely on the higher-ups in BJP. I am doing some party work as I am directed and I am meeting some people from the party and getting introduced to them for the first time.

They will decide from where I will contest and if I will contest at all.

Mine is not a conditional joining. I have joined voluntarily, out of my own will and there is no condition that I have to be a candidate for a seat etc, or that I have to be given an office. I am working as a simple and general worker and not more than that.

You said that the TMC motivated you to join politics and yet you do not recognise Banerjee?

Some of the spokespersons insulted me when I was acting as a judge and tried to do justice against corrupt activities by the political party in power in the state. Then they started accusing,