CPM leader's obscene remark against Mamata Banerjee sparks outrage

Party leader Kakoli Ghosh also lashed out at CPM, calling them hooligans.

Counsel for Trinamool Congress, Rajdeep Majumdar, said that a legal notice would be sent to the CPI(M) headquarters and to the CPI(M) leader seeking an unconditional apology within 48 hours.

"If the apology is not tendered, we will file a defamation suit before the appropriate court," Majumdar said.

Rahman, however, later in the evening tendered an apology for his remarks.

"For the last 21 years I have been an MLA in the state. I have never said anything like this before and this will not happen again in future. I apologise before all the people of the state," Rahman, deputy leader of the CPI(M) in the House, said reading out a statement before the media and leaving without taking any question.

CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose described as 'unwanted and indecent' the remarks by Rehman about Mamata. "The remarks by Anisur Rehman are unwanted and indecent. It is against the political cuture of our party. Our party does not approve such remarks," Bose said in a press statement.

at a public rally where he asked how much Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would charge to get raped.

Rahman, the Left Front's legislature party deputy leader, made the comments while speaking in Itahar in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday.

Referring to the chief minister's announcement a month ago to give Rs 20,000 to a rape victim, he had said: "This government will do good to all, farmers, workers, rape victims. This is the same Mamata Banerjee who went to South 24 Parganas and brought Champala Sardar to Writers' Building claiming she was raped. She takes up those hala fala girls (girls discarded by society). I told her if you want to bring some girls, bring some good girls. There is no better girl than you. We will give her some medal, or we can give her Rs 20,000. We ask, Didimoni, what is your fee? How much will you take for getting raped?''

TMC leader and Industry and Parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters that Rahman has used words about a woman which cannot be told. "It has tarnished the culture of Bengal and lowered our heads."

"Such use of foul language is unheard of in the political history of Bengal," said Chatterjee, who submitted video and newspaper clippings about the comments made at a rally at Itahar in North Dinajpur district yesterday to the Assembly secretary along with the privilege notice.

"We hope the Speaker will take up the matter. We will demand appropriate punishment," he said.

Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee said, "I feel ashamed to think that he was a minister in the erstwhile Left Front government. People will know whom they have sent to the Assembly. Does he not have sisters at home?"

Disapproving Rahman's remark, CPI(M) state secretariat member Shyamal Chakraborty said, "Anisur has not done the right thing by making such comments. He is not that sort of man. I will inquire why he suddenly made such a comment. He will be summoned."

"A responsible leader should not make such comments about any woman, not only the chief minister," Chakraborty said.

Condemning the remarks, WBPCC President and party MP Pradip Bhattacherjee said "It is vulgar. If such language is used by a person then where is difference between civilised persons and brutes?"

BJP leader Tathagata Roy said "It does not speak well of Bengal's culture and I strongly condemn it."

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