BJP leader says will hug Mamata Banerjee if infected with coronavirus, police complaint filed
Baruipur/Siliguri: Newly-appointed BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra has said that he would hug Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee if he is infected with the coronavirus to make her feel the pain of the families of COVID-19 patients.
A police complaint was filed by the Trinamool Congress in Siliguri for the comments Hazra made at a party programme in Baruipur in South 24 Parganas on Sunday evening.
"Our workers are fighting a bigger enemy than corona.
They are fighting Mamata Banerjee. When they (BJP cadres) have been able to fight it out against Mamata Banerjee without a mask, they think they can also fight against COVID-19 without wearing a mask," Hazra said.
"I have decided that if I get infected with the coronavirus, then I will go and hug Mamata Banerjee," he added.
Hazra, a former TMC MP who joined the BJP last year, said the way the bodies of COVID-19 patients were being cremated in the state was pathetic.
"She (Banerjee) treated victims of the disease pathetically. Their bodies were burnt with kerosene. Sons were not allowed to see the face of their parents who died of COVID-19. We don't even treat dead cats or dogs like that," he said.
Senior TMC leader Saugato Roy condemned the comments and said such remarks reflect the mindset of the BJP.
"Such words and statements can only come from BJP leaders. This reflects the mindset of the party. We condemn such insane statements," he said.
The Trinamool Congress's Siliguri unit held a rally against Hazra and lodged a police complaint against him.
"We have lodged a police complaint against Anupam Hazra. We have urged the police to take immediate action against him," a senior TMC leader from the north Bengal city said.
Reacting to the police complaint, Hazra told PTI that Banerjee too has made several controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"If my comments are demeaning, then Mamata Banerjee too had made such comments against the prime minister.
Secondly, if one FIR has been filed against me, then at least 10 FIRs should be lodged against TMC leaders," he said. The state BJP leadership, however, distanced itself from Hazra's comment.
"We don't support such comments. We should avoid making such remarks," a state BJP leader said.
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MediaOne TV Facebook page restored after block linked to ‘government request’
Kochi: The official Facebook page of Malayalam news channel MediaOne TV has been restored after being blocked without prior notice, the broadcaster said on Wednesday.
The channel was quoted by Maktoob as saying that the restriction was lifted automatically, with Meta Platforms informing it that the action had been taken following a “government request” which has now expired or been reversed.
The development came shortly after the channel approached the Kerala High Court challenging the blocking of its page, terming it arbitrary and in violation of legal provisions and judicial precedents. The High Court had issued notice to Meta via email hours before the restriction was withdrawn.
In its petition, the channel said access to its Facebook page had been restricted for users in India without citing any specific content or alleged violation. It contended that while individual posts may be taken down under applicable a rule, blocking an entire page goes beyond the scope of such measures.
The incident followed an earlier action taken against the channel in 2022, when the Ministry of Information and transmitting prohibited it from transmitting. It cited national security concerns regarding the Ministry of Home Affairs' refusal of security clearance.
The Supreme Court of India in April 2023 set aside the ban, observing that national security claims cannot be made without substantive basis and that criticism of government policies does not render a media outlet anti-national.
