Jalandhar:
Slamming Trinamool Congres (TMC) MP Tapas Pal's controversial comments allegedly threatening to kill CPI(M) workers and have their women raped, the BJP today demanded that the leader be put "behind bars", saying he has "no right" to be in any political party.
The BJP's national vice-president Laxmi Kant Chawla has shot off a letter to the TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stating that leaders like Mr Pal should not be a part of any political entity and be put behind bars.
"It has come to the public notice that your party MP Tapas Pal talked about shooting, beating and raping women. The matter obviously has brought you embarrassment and ridicule. We request you to expel the leader from the party and send him behind bars for making such insensitive comments against women," the letter said.
Ms Chawla reiterated that Mr Pal has "no right" to be in the party and the TMC chief being a woman herself should immediately put the leader behind bars.
Mr Pal's comment which went viral on a vernacular TV news channel yesterday had quoted him saying, "If any CPIM man is present here. Listen to me. If you ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker or their families at Choumaha, you have to pay for this. Don't try to act smart with me. I am smarter than you..."
"... Earlier, you guys have bullied me on various occasions. If you insult the mothers and daughters of Trinamool workers. Then I won't spare you. I will let loose my boys in your homes and they will commit rape. I will teach each of you a lesson," the MP had warned.
Mr Pal, however, denied that he spoke about rape. "What I said was I will tell my workers to 'raid'."