TMC dissatisfied with MLA Kabir's reply to disciplinary committee over remarks against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari

Kabir demanded that Adhikari take back his comments on Muslim MLAs or face protests.

TMC MLA Humayun Kabir (L); BJP leader and LoP in WB Assembly Suvendu Adhikari. (Photo | X, Express)

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress leadership is not satisfied with the party MLA from Murshidabad Humayun Kabir's reply to the show cause notice over his remarks against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, party officials said on Monday. 

Kabir will be called to the TMC headquarters on Tuesday.

On March 12, retorting to West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari's remarks that all Muslim MLAs would be "thrown out" once the BJP comes to power in the state, Kabir demanded that Adhikari take back his remarks. If he failed to do so, Adhikari would be "treated in an appropriate manner" and "face protests from Muslim MLAs either in the House or wherever he goes," Kabir said. He had given Adhikari a deadline of 72 hours, from March 12, to take back his comments.

Following this, Kabir was issued a show cause notice by the disciplinary committee of the TMC.

Senior TMC leader and West Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, said that the committee was not satisfied with his defence that he commented as a member of the community.

"He cannot forget that being a people's representative, having taken oath under the Constitution, he cannot make comments emphasising his religious identity to criticise someone else's condemnable remarks, which is equally unconstitutional," Chattopadhyay said, adding, "We are not here to speak as Hindus or Muslims."

When asked whether any disciplinary action will be taken against Kabir after he appears before the committee on Tuesday, Chattopadhyay said he will be given certain directives.

"We will take appropriate action keeping in mind party discipline," he said.

According to sources, Kabir’s remark in the House was also raised at the cabinet meeting at Nabanna chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She expressed her displeasure over Kabir's remarks.  

Banerjee said that her government will not tolerate hurting or insulting any religion and gave a stern warning to the BJP, blaming them for stoking the communal fire in Bengal. She accused the saffron party of importing “fake Hinduism” to the state.