Bengal ministers call for social boycott of CPI-M’s Anisur Rahman

Kolkata, Dec 28 (IANS) Two West Bengal ministers belonging to the Trinamool Congress Friday called for social boycott of CPI-M legislator Anisur Rehman for his “obscene” comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Alleging that Rahman, a former state minister, has committed an “unpardonable offence” through his comments, Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said “people should boycott him socially”.

Addressing a meeting of Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) peasants wing at Itahar in North Dinajpur district Dec 25, Rahman had asked Banerjee what she would charge for getting raped.

The ministers refused to lend much credence to Rahman’s aploogy for his remarks.

“ An apology is not enough. One can’t be excused if he tenders an apology after committing a crime,” the ministers said.

Training his guns on the CPI-M, Mukherjee said making such lowly comments against women is the party’s culture.

The duo criticised the Congress for being soft in their stand on Rahman’s remarks.

Rahman had made the comments while ridiculing the Banerjee government’s decision to compensate victims of crimes such as rape and trafficking.

“We have told the chief minister in the assembly that the government will pay money to compensate rape victims. What is your fee? If you are raped, what will be your fee,” Rahman had said.

“As an opposition leader, she took along Champala Sardar from South 24-Parganas district to the state secretariat, claiming she was raped.”

“We then told her: ‘Don’t bring such ‘hela fela meye’ (girls without any position in society). Bring some good girls.”

“And there can be no better girl than you. You can say you have been raped. We ask: ‘Didi moni’ (elder sister), what is your fee? How much will you take for getting raped’,” he said.

Rahman’s comments have been condemned by his party, the opposition, civil society and commoners.

Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has already submitted a breach of privilege notice to the assembly speaker, and threatened to take legal action against Rahman.

IANS 2012-12-29 00:00:10