KOLKATA: Union minister and Asansol MP Babul Supriyo got angered after not being invited by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to the honorary DLitt award ceremony of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in his own constituency Asansol in West Bengal.
After attending the convocation at Visva-Bharati University with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on May 25, Sheikh Hasina will visit Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol on May 26, where she will be conferred with honorary DLitt.
However, Babul Supriyo, who was recently in news for his controversial remarks during the Ram Navami riots in Asansol, was not invited to the event by the West Bengal government despite being the local MP, which is against the protocol.
The invitation of the university mentions the names of Sheikh Hasina, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, Mamata Banerjee and even education minister Partha Chatterjee but not Supriyo.
Tweeting the invitation card, Supriyo wrote: “This is a fine example of TMC courtesy. Despite the function being held at Asansol, my name has not been mentioned anywhere. They did not even send an invitation as courtesy. I feel pity on Trinamool Congress for such narrow-mindedness.”
The local MP expressed his ire to media saying: “I started my political career with courtesy. Singing on a TMC platform on Bengali New Year and eating ‘Jhalmuri’ with Mamata Banerjee was part of my courtesy with TMC. But, the ruling party has dirtied the politics.”
Though the local population was also ecstatic over the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister, not inviting the local MP to the event has also angered a section of the local residents.
However, Kazi Nazrul University vice-chancellor Sadhan Chakraborty said that the MP would be invited at the correct time and an invitation would be sent to him.