A fresh controversy has erupted in West Bengal after BJP MLA Amarnath Shakha, representing Bankura’s Onda, made inflammatory remarks about Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Speaking at a gathering in Bankura’s Onda on Wednesday, Shakha provocatively set Banerjee’s “rate at Rs 25 lakh” and suggested that she “get hold of a molla and leave” the state. His comments have not only sparked widespread outrage but also put the BJP in a precarious position at a critical time.
Shakha’s remarks were made in the context of demanding Banerjee’s resignation over what he described as administrative failures, particularly in the aftermath of the recent rape and murder incident at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. “Your rate is Rs 25 lakh,” Shakha said during his speech, adding, “You get hold of a molla and leave, we will pay you Rs 25 lakh.” His use of the term “molla” has been widely condemned as both insensitive and inflammatory.
BJP Distances Itself
In response to the controversy, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya stated that the party does not endorse Shakha’s comments, emphasizing that the remarks were made in a personal capacity. “BJP has said in the past, and again now, that we do not endorse such statements. It was made in his personal capacity,” Bhattacharya clarified.
Despite the backlash, Shakha remained unapologetic, justifying his remarks by pointing to the various compensation amounts Banerjee has offered to different victims in the past. “She [Banerjee] has fixed different compensation amounts for different people. It is Rs 50,000 for some, Rs 1 lakh for someone else. She even tried to offer Rs 10 lakh to the RG Kar doctor’s family,” Shakha told The Times of India on Wednesday.
Legal Context
Senior government officials have pointed out that compensation claims in rape cases are mandated by the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013, following the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Nipun Saxena case in 2018. These compensations are part of a legal framework designed to provide financial assistance to victims of heinous crimes.
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History of Controversial Comments
This is not the first time a BJP leader has made controversial remarks about Banerjee. Just three months ago, BJP Tamluk MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay questioned whether Banerjee’s “price” was Rs 10 lakh during an election rally. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) subsequently moved the Election Commission, leading to Gangopadhyay being barred from campaigning for 24 hours.
Trinamool Congress Responds
The Trinamool Congress was quick to capitalize on the latest controversy, using Shakha’s comments to attack the BJP. “Sometimes it is a BJP MP (Gangopadhyay), sometimes it is a BJP MLA (Shakha) who set a ‘rate’ for the country’s only female CM. This is the true face of the BJP. How can those who make such vile comments ask questions on women’s safety? Shame, disgraceful!” the party posted on its official Facebook page.
The controversy surrounding Shakha’s comments comes at a time when tensions are already high in Bengal’s political landscape. The remarks have added fuel to the ongoing debate about political decorum and the treatment of women in public life. As the BJP tries to distance itself from the controversy, the TMC is likely to continue using it to rally support against what it describes as the BJP’s “real face.”
