TMC seeks EC’s intervention against Abhijit Gangopadhyay for ‘insulting CM’
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday sought the intervention of the Election Commission (EC) after accusing BJP’s Tamluk candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay of making insulting remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Referring to a vernacular news article, Trinamool wrote on its X handle: “Abhijit Ganguly has crossed limits of decency by trying to put a supposed monetary value on the only female CM in India Smt.@MamataOfficial, therefore disrespecting not just her but all the women of Bengal. Bengal has no place for such blatant MISOGYNY and the agents of the Nari-Birodhis shall never be tolerated by our mothers and sisters. We vehemently condemn his remarks and urge@ECISVEEP to intervene immediately!”
The article referred to by TMC claimed that Gangopadhyay, in reference to the Sandeshkhali videos, said at a public rally that if the Trinamool is alleging that the BJP candidate Rekha Patra was bought at Rs 2000 then what is the rate at which Mamata Banerjee can be bought. Referring to the SSC recruitment corruption and ration scam, he allegedly said that with Rs 8 lakh jobs are being sold and at Rs 10 lakhs ration is being pilfered.
Alluding to Banerjee, he allegedly said: “Rekha Patra belongs from a poor family. How could you (Banerjee) being a woman talk about another woman in this manner?”
Slamming BJP’s “culture of misogyny”, TMC women wing’s president Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “Abhijit Ganguly has crossed all limits of decency today by uttering such unbelievably disparaging statements. No decent person can speak in such a language. No one knows better than Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee how to protect the dignity of women…The people of Bengal will never accept such language.” Trinamool national spokesperson Shashi Panja wrote on X: “@Abhijit_G4WB, how dare you put a monetary value on our Jononetri and the only female CM in India? This is beyond my imagination! Listen @BJP4India, this isn’t politics; it’s a shameful plunge into indecency! APOLOGISE NOW!” Trinamool’s Burdwan-Durgapur candidate Kirti Azad said: “The kind of language used by Abhijit Ganguly — the candidate selected by Modi and the BJP — cannot be reiterated. Only the BJP and Modi can ensure that Nari ka Apmaan (insult to women) is their only guarantee. They are responsible for crimes against women in Unnao, Hathras, and in the Bilkis Bano case. They said Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. But when daughters are insulted by the BJP, Modi remains mum.”
TMC’s spokesperson Riju Dutta wrote on X: “PM Modi’s “Didi, O Didi” catcall. Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s “thumka” remark. Sukanta Majumdar’s “thappar” and “dhanda” comments. Dilip Ghosh’s “ditch sarees, wear bermudas” and “who is your father” jibes. And now BJP (@BJP4Bengal) MP candidate, Abhijit Gangopadhyay takes BJP’s Nari-Birodhi tirade a step ahead by once again attacking the only female CM in India. We demand an immediate, unconditional apology!”
