KOLKATA: Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari expressed ire over TMC leader Anubrata Mondal not reporting to the police despite being summoned on Saturday in connection with his alleged "derogatory and abusive" language during a telephonic conversation with a police officer.
He also alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government is being lenient on the issue.
Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, told reporters that had it been the regime of Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, a foul-mouthed and abusive person like Mondal, "who had demeaned the women of state by making despicable comments about the women family members of the officer", would have been collared and dragged to the police station and arrested.
"If you hear the conversation with IC Liton Halder, you will feel disgusted that such words can be uttered by a senior politician of the ruling party in the state. But it shows how the Trinamool Congress actually looks down on women. It also shows how it shields thug elements like Anubrata from the hands of law. Already there are attempts to cover up the issue and ensure he is not subjected to stringent punishment," he said.
Former Congress MP and former WBPCC chairman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "Anubrata should be dragged to the police station. No action seems to have been taken against him by the administration even after 48 hours have elapsed after the incident. This is condemnable," he said.
TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, "We reiterate that Anubrata Mondal made offensive, despicable comments in his conversation with a police officer and used derogatory words against women. We condemned his act and asked him to apologise which he did. Whatever legal action is taken against him, we have nothing to comment, it will be as per the law."
"However, what about many similar crass, abusive and offensive comments made in the past by leaders of other opposition parties such as the BJP in the public. Did they even caution those leaders?" he asked.
Four of Mondal's counsel appeared on his behalf at the office of Bolpur SDPO on Saturday.
A second notice was sent to the former TMC Birbhum district president asking him to turn up before the police on Sunday around 11 am for questioning.
"Mondal is unwell and could not appear today," one of his counsels said.
The TMC on Friday condemned the "derogatory and abusive" language allegedly used by Mondal during the phone conversation with the police officer posted at the Bolpur police station.
Mondal later issued a written apology, saying he could never imagine "to insult any police personnel, from an ordinary constable to any senior officer".
An audio clip, purportedly featuring Mondal's voice, went viral on social media.
In the clip, he was allegedly heard threatening Halder that he would be dragged by his hair from his residential quarters to receive a deputation from Mondal's followers regarding police highhandedness in the area.
He also made allegedly offensive, derogatory comments against women.
PTI independently could not verify the authenticity of the audio clip.
An FIR has been lodged against Mondal under various sections of the BNS, and later, a notice was issued for him at the TMC office, Superintendent of Police Amandeep said.