New Delhi/Lucknow/ Domkal(Murshidabad): The last day of the Budget session witnessed stormy scenes in both the Houses over a BJP youth wing leader’s offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, with leaders from across the political spectrum roundly condemning it as “barbaric”.
The Trinamul Congress demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney, a leader of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), while the BJP distanced itself from the controversial remark.
In Kolkata, an FIR had been registered against Mr Varshney in Kolkata, and the imam of the city’s Tipu Sultan mosque issued a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for Mr Varshney’s head.
After the furore in Parliament and outside, the BJP’s youth wing expelled Mr Varshney for two years and demanded legal action against him.
In Parliament, the TMC got strong support from Congress leaders Jyodiraditya Scindia, Mallikarjun Kharge and K.C. Venugopal who sought strong action against Mr Varshney, while Union parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar distanced his party from the youth leader’s comments. Trying to pacify the agitated Opposition members, Mr Kumar said: “The comment is totally wrong and we completely condemn it.”
TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy raised the issue in Rajya Sabha and demanded immediate action because “a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon.”
Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said that at a time when the government is talking about “gauraksha” (cow protection), what is it doing about protecting women in the country. “How dare somebody talk like this?” she asked.
The BJYM leader issued the threat and announced the bounty in Aligarh on Tuesday night after a Hanuman Jayanti rally was lathi-charged in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. The participants in the rally were reportedly shouting slogans in praise of Lord Hanuman when the police used force to disperse them.
“Mamta Banerjee organises Iftar parties, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her, are Hindus not human? Anyone who was seen wearing a saffron or red short or pant was beaten up by her police. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh,” he said while talking to reporters on Wednesday.
Reports said that permission for the rally had been withdrawn but the BJP supporters insisted on going ahead with the programme.
The BJYM, in its statement expelling Mr Varshney for two years and demanding legal action against him, said, “BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him as per law”.
Ms Banerjee, unperturbed by the threat, said, “I’m being abused in various ways. But I am not somebody who can be intimidated in this way. I believe it’s a blessing. The more they abuse me the more we shall prosper. From Bengal to Jharkhand to Uttar Pradesh — we will spread out towards Delhi.”
Ms Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Domkal, Murshidabad, also lashed out at the BJP for trying to incite communal tension in the state.
“Let them learn about the culture of the state first and then comment. Sindoor khela (playing with vermilion) not ‘tolowar khela’ (sword play) started by few Delhi babus is Bengal’s culture. In Bengal, such act will not be tolerated,” she said in an apparent reference to the day of Ram Navami when a number of BJP leaders were seen brandishing swords during rallies.
“Bengal believes in sarva dharma samannay. We work for people of all castes, creed, religion. I participate in Durga Puja. I also participate in Eid, and I go to church. Who are you to stop me? This is the land of Maa-Mati-Manush. We cannot be divided on religious lines,” she said.
Meanwhile, the imam of Tipu Sultan mosque in Kolkata, Nur-ur Rehman Barkati, issued a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for Mr Varshney’s head.
“Mamata Banerjee is our respected leader and I consider her as my sister. I will pay Rs 22 lakh to anyone who brings me the head of the BJP leader,” he said.
On Wednesday evening, TMC’s Sangeeta Majumder lodged a complaint with Kalighat police station in Kolkata demanding action against Mr Varshney for his alleged comments.
