KOLKATA: A Facebook meme by controversial Trinamool Member of Parliament (MP) Professor Anupam Hazra of Bolpur in Birbhum district, depicting district Trinamool supremo and Mamata aide Anubrata Mandal as a woman clad in a saree and giving 'bhai-phonta' to the MP with a smiling face of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has drawn sharp ire of the party strongman Mandal. He has called the Trinamool MP Hazra as 'illiterate'.
"I saw the post. It's work of an illiterate and a personal who has very cheap taste of culture," the controversial Trinamool strongman Mandal reacted. He had earlier openly asked his supporters to throw bombs on houses of CPM supporters.
‘Bhai phonta' was celebrated all over West Bengal on Tuesday, when sisters gave sandalwood 'round-shaped tikas' with the little finger of left hand, praying for their long lives.
Trying to put up with the festive mood, Hazra gave a picture of Anubrata Mandal giving bhai-phonta to Anupam with a caption "...this could have been the best Bhai-fota of West Bengal...hope those golden days will come back soon!!!".
In view of his earlier tryst with criticism from even Mamata Banerjee, for his Facebook posts, Anupam also gave a disclaimer that the post should not be misinterpreted and it is symbolic of formerly strong ties like 'family bonding' between the two TMC leaders.
However, the post was also not taken very light-heartedly by his supporters with some openly asking Hazra to abstain from updating such posts on social media.
After being rebuked by Anubrata Mandal for the post, Anupam Hazra again posted a video on the Facebook directed at him or 'Kesto Kaku', as Hazra calls Mandal and gave his explanation.
"Kesto kaku (uncle), if you were irked by being depicted as a woman, I promise to give another post of me being a woman and giving you bhai-phonta," he said in the video, while stating that his message was misread by his 'detractors' who are close to Anubrata Mandal. "If I am given work to do by the district Trinamool, I won't vent out my frustration in the social media," he said.
Addressing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the young Trinamool MP said, "Didi, please don't get angry on seeing the photo. Try to understand it's meaning. I am sitting idle for two-and-half years. I vent all my frustration out in social media and in writing books. Please tell me how can I be of any help. I came with a lot of aspirations but I am not able to deliver," the Trinamool MP said.