West Bengal minister Akhil Giri on Saturday courted controversy after he was seen in video clips threatening and verbally abusing a woman official of the state forest department and her team after they removed encroachments on its land in Purba Medinipur district.
The BJP, which shared a video of the minister's outburst on X, demanded Mr Giri's arrest while the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) said the party does not support such behaviour.
West Bengal Minister Akhil Giri threatens a lady Forest Officer because she was performing her duty to remove illegal encroachment in forest areas.
What did he say –
1. “সরকারি কর্মচারী, মাথা নিচু করে কথা বলবেন।” – You are a government employee, bow down your head (infront of… pic.twitter.com/CDrULP9Mli— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) August 3, 2024
Mr Giri was flanked by locals when he was seen in videos also telecast by television channels threatening the woman official, identified as Manisha Sahu posted as a ranger, of "cutting down on her stay" there.
"A few shops had been set up illegally on the forest department land near the sea beach in Tajpur. These establishments were so close to the sea that they got submerged during high tides. On Friday night, these shops were removed," a senior forest department official said.
After learning about the anti-encroachment operation, Mr Giri, accompanied by local traders, reached the spot and confronted the forest department officials on Saturday.
"The forest department officials removed several shops on Friday night. Many constructions have taken place on forest land, but the department could not do anything against them. The forest department is disturbing these poor people," Mr Giri who is the local MLA told PTI.
When contacted, Ms Sahu declined to comment.
Sources said that Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda contacted the woman official and took note of the entire incident.
Sources in the forest department also said that the DFO of Purba Medinipur district would be filing a report about the entire matter to the higher authorities.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, while speaking to journalists, said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were keeping an eye on the matter.
"We oppose Giri's words and behaviour. It is undesirable. If he had something to say about the forest department, he could have told Birbaha Hansda. Instead, the mistreatment of the woman officer is unfortunate. Our party does not endorse that," Mr Ghosh said.
Slamming Mr Giri for his attitude towards a woman official, the BJP demanded that the minister should be arrested and put behind bars.
"Will Mamata Banerjee dare to throw out this minister and put him behind bars? Will charges be filed against him for obstructing government workers and outraging the modesty of women? Let's see if this goon is kicked inside the jail for threatening to indirectly kill and outrage the modesty of a woman," the BJP posted on X.
Incidentally, two years back in 2022, Mr Giri's controversial remarks on President Droupadi Murmu were severely criticised.
Mamata Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, had to apologise for Mr Giri's "derogatory remark" on President Murmu after a massive uproar by the opposition.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)