New Delhi: A BJP youth wing leader’s announcement of a bounty of Rs1.1 million (Dh62,439) to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee drew sharp condemnation on Wednesday from political parties.
Yogesh Varshney of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha made the statement after police clashed with people taking part in a Hanuman Jayanti rally in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
“She stands up for Muslims. Aren’t Hindus human beings? If there was some humanity, then there wouldn’t be so much discrimination against the Hindus,” he said after apparently seeing a video of police assaulting the rallyists to disperse them.
“There is only one thought that crossed my mind after watching that video... Whoever will cut off Mamata Banerjee’s head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh [Rs1.1 million] as reward,” Varshney said.
Varshney’s Rs1.1 million offer went viral on social media, triggering outrage.
Parliament on Wednesday strongly condemned the statement, with the Centre saying the state government was “free to take legal action” against him.
The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.
In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.
Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said a BJP youth activist has publicly described West Bengal Chief Minister as a “demon” and announced Rs1.1 million bounty for anyone who brings the head of Chief Minister.
Roy asked the House and the government to condemn this incident, saying “a constitutionly elected CM has been described as demon.”
He said the Centre was trying to “unleash a reign of terror” in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “I strongly condemn such type of statements. State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue”.
“On such people action can be taken under the the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course,” the Deputy Chairman said, adding that “you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it.No need of discussion on that”.
BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a “serious matter” and said “BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action.”
Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.
Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take “aggressive” steps for protection of women. “You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities,” she added.
“How dare somebody talk like this”, especially against women Chief Minister paticularly when women are feeling insecure. “Is this the way you are going to protect women,” Bachchan asked.
BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and “I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a women should answer this.”
In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader’s bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.
“She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it,” Kumar said.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. “This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint,” she said.
Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day’s business, TMC member Saugata Roy said “Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it.”
Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.
“A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty,” Kharge said.
Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said they had no idea what Banerjee had gone through in her political career and what she was made of.
“These leaders sitting in different states have no idea what she is made of. She has faced physical assaults several times earlier in her political career.
“She was thrown out of the Kolkata police headquarters in Lalbazar and dragged out of the Writers’ Building [the state’s permanent secretariat] during the CPM regime. Police dragged her by the hair from Singur during the land movement [in 2006] but nothing could stop her,” Chatterjee said.
Varshney’s comments came a day after rallyists carrying saffron flags were stopped by police and Rapid Action Force in Suri in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, sparking trouble.
