TMC demands action against Union ministers Barla and Pramanik

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday took out a rally at Mathabhanga town in Cooch Behar district demanding the ouster of Union ministers John Barla and Nisith Pramanik from the Cabinet as they had warrants issued against them in separate cases.

The march, attended by North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha and others, was one of a series of rallies in the northern part of the state organised by the ruling party to mount pressure on the BJP leadership to take steps against Barla and Pramanik. The TMC had taken out such rallies earlier in Darjeeling and Siliguri.

A warrant was issued against Pramanik, the Union minister of State for Home Affairs, in connection with a theft at a jewellery shop in Alipurduar town in 2009.

Barla, the Union minister of State for Minority Affairs, had a warrant issued against him in 2019 for allegedly taking out a bike rally violating Election Commission guidelines.

"We want immediate and strict action against these two leaders. The Narendra Modi government wastes no time in deploying central agencies against its political opponents on the slightest pretext, but turns a blind eye when it comes to acting on cases lodged against its own people," Guha said.