'Followers of assailants of Gandhi must tender apology'

KOLKATA: Without naming RSS or BJP, state Education minister Bratya Basu demanded that the followers of the assailants of Gandhi should tender unconditional apology for killing the Father of the Nation 74 years ago.

After garlanding the portrait of Gandhiji at Gandhi Bhavan (Hyderi Manzil)—the house in Beliaghata where he lived on August 15, 1947—Basu said: "The narrow-minded followers of the assailants of Gandhi are still active and are spreading communal venom across the country. They should tender unconditional apology for killing Mahatma." Hyderi Manzil has been thoroughly renovated and a museum set up following the initiative taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. People from across the globe visit the house to pay respect to Gandhiji.

The 74th death anniversary of Gandhiji was observed with due solemnity. Mayor Firhad Hakim paid floral tribute to Gandhiji and other martyrs at Presidency Correctional Home. Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, state Agriculture minister, garlanded the statue of Gandhiji in Maidan. Jyotipriyo Mallick, state Forest minister, paid tribute to Gandhiji at Barrackpore and took part in the prayer.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick on Sunday abruptly left the podium during a function to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Barrackpore area, refusing to share the stage with BJP MP Arjun Singh.

Mallick, who was seated beside Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, suddenly got down from the stage when the Barrackpore MP arrived. Asked why chose to step aside, the minister was heard telling the Governor, "A professional killer is sitting beside you. In protest, I am leaving the platform. I am sitting with the audience."

Mallick's comments came in the backdrop of the murder of Trinamool Congress leader Gopal Majumder in Barrackpore by unidentified assailants late on Saturday. While the ruling party alleged the killing was masterminded by Singh, the BJP MP attributed the incident to infighting within the TMC.

The minister later told reporters, "I was representing the state government as per protocol. But, I could not be seated on the podium with a mastermind of murders against whom we have filed charges and investigation is pending." "I did not leave the function midway, I remained seated with the audience," he added.