TMC minister Udayan Guha's remarks on 'Operation Sindoor' trigger row
Kolkata, May 28 (PTI): Senior Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Minister Udayan Guha has sparked a row by taking a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 'Operation Sindoor', saying "those who once sold tea are now doing business in vermilion."
Addressing an event in Dinhata in Cooch Behar district on Tuesday, Guha, the Minister for North Bengal Development, said, "Earlier some people used to trade in tea, now they are doing the business of vermilion. Some used to sell hot tea, now hot vermilion is flowing in their blood. They are coming all the way to Alipurduar in north Bengal to sell that vermilion," he was heard saying in a viral video.
However, PTI couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the video.
He also went on to accuse the PM of trying to sow communal discord.
"Don't try to inject poison into people. Don't try to create division among people by injecting religious poison," he was heard as saying in the video.
The remarks drew a sharp backlash from the BJP, which accused Guha of insulting India's armed forces and undermining the spirit of 'Operation Sindoor', which was launched by India against Pakistan on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar strongly condemned the remarks and demanded Guha's removal from the state cabinet.
"Udayan Guha has made a comment that is not only utterly condemnable but amounts to treason," Majumdar said.
"At a time when the entire nation is celebrating the success of 'Operation Sindoor', a minister in the West Bengal government is saying that 'sindoor' is being sold as a business. This is an insult to every person who was killed in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and India's security forces. For such a disgraceful and reprehensible comment, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must remove Guha from the cabinet," he said.
In a post on X, the West Bengal BJP said, "TMC Minister Udayan Guha stoops to new lows, mocking PM Modi's humble beginnings, belittling Indian Army's valour, and branding 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistani terrorists as a 'Sindoor business' and a 'religious stunt.' This isn't a slip, it's a calculated insult to every soldier and citizen."
As of Wednesday evening, the Trinamool Congress had not issued any official response to the controversy.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address a public rally in Alipurduar on Thursday as part of the BJP's campaign in Bengal.
Udayan Guha, a key member of Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet and the Minister for North Bengal Development, has made a comment that is not only utterly condemnable but amounts to treason!
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) May 28, 2025
At a time when the entire nation is celebrating the success of #OperationSindoor —an operation… pic.twitter.com/rzPQvqM5zI
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
