Tapas Pal rape remark: Trinamool Congress asks for unconditional apology

Kolkata: TMC has asked Tapas Pal to tender unconditional apology for controversial comment, said party leader Mukul Roy. The Trinamool Congress will take a decision on Wednesday on action against its MP Tapas Pal, whose outrageous remark on rape has invited widespread criticism and reportedly caused ‘deep anguish’ to party chief and chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

TMC leader Mukul Roy said, “Tapas Pal's comments have deeply pained Mamata Banerjee. The party will take a decision on the issue tomorrow.” Another party leader Derek O'Brien said, “A chief minister as sensitive as Mamata Banerjee, I can tell you...she is hopping mad.”

Pal, actor turned politician and two-term MP from West Bengal, triggered an uproar with his controversial comment and sparked condemnation by opposition parties with CPI-M demanding that the Lok Sabha Speaker take suo motu cognisance of Pal's outburst and disqualify him.

Pal's comment, which went viral on a vernacular TV news channel on Monday 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.

Pal, however, denied that he spoke about rape. "What I said was I will tell my workers to 'raid'."