Ex-judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s ‘Mamata Banerjee, what is your price’ remark triggers row; TMC moves Election Commission
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday moved the Election Commission against former high court judge and BJP candidate, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, for allegedly making “misogynistic” remarks against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who joined the BJP after resigning from his post as the Calcutta high court judge, allegedly asked what “Mamata Banerjee’s price” was.
He made the alleged remarks at an election rally in East Midnapore’s Chaitanyapur on Wednesday.
“Trinamool says Rekha Patra (BJP’s Sandeshkhali candidate) was bought for ₹2000. So, Mamata Banerjee, what is your price, ₹10 lakh?” he said, according to the Times of India.
The Trinamool Congress slammed the politician, saying he crossed all limits. The party claimed shameful words were used to malign a woman chief minister.
“It is shameful that a former judge who is now a BJP candidate uses such words to malign a woman chief minister. This is the guarantee of the BJP that women under BJP rule will be insulted in this way,” TMC leader Santanu Sen told PTI.
A video clip of the alleged remarks have gone viral. The BJP, however, said the clip was fake.
The party said the TMC wanted to malign the BJP with such fake videos.
“We don’t agree with the existence of any such videos. This is a ploy by the TMC to release fake videos and malign the BJP. But that won’t make any difference in the elections,” BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
Abhijit Gangopadhyay is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal’s Tamluk.
Earlier this month, Gangopadhyay moved the Calcutta high court alleging police overaction by registering an attempt to murder case against him.
His lawyer told the court that the FIR was registered in order to prevent him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC is facing a stiff challenge from the BJP, which won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections.