Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday defended Union minister Giriraj Singh's controversial remarks against chief minister Mamata Banerjee, asserting that it was not a personal attack.
Giriraj Singh said Mamata Banerjee's 'thumka' at the film festival was not appropriate.
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“West Bengal is bearing the brunt of rampant corruption during the tenure of CM Banerjee. Instead of focusing on real issues such as corruption, they (TMC) are focusing on (Giriraj Singh's) comments which aren't personal at all,” the BJP leader told reporters outside Assembly amid protests by the ruling Trinamool Congress.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday after TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared a clip on social media in which Giriraj Singh was heard commenting on Banerjee's attendance at the inaugural ceremony of the Kolkata International Film Festival.
In the clip of an interview purportedly given by Singh to a TV channel, the Union minister referred to the West Bengal chief minister and said, "Jashn mana rahi hai, thumke laga rahi hai, yeh uchit nahi hai (she is celebrating and dancing, this is inappropriate)."
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Moitra hit out at the BJP MP for his alleged misogynistic remarks and said it “reek of your sick perverted mentality.”
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Moitra hit out at the BJP MP for his alleged misogynistic remarks and said it “reek of your sick perverted mentality.”
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“You dare tell Mamata Banerjee what is “uchit” (appropriate)?” she wrote on X. “You deprive crores of poor people of rightful MNREGA wages and AWAS funds for years & yet your twisted sick mind tells our CM what is “uchit”. Get a life.”
On Thursday, chaos ensued at the West Bengal Assembly as TMC MLAs protested against Singh's comments on their party supremo. After the Question Hour, Woman and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja raised the issue in the House.
Maintaining that people were shocked by Singh's comment, she said that Banerjee is the only woman chief minister in the country and has been an MP for several terms.
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"We condemn the misogynistic statement made by the Union minister," she said.
Panja said the BJP should apologise for the statement made by Singh.
The House descended into chaos as Panja raised the issue, with MLAs from both the TMC and the opposition BJP exchanging slogans against each other.
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