An FIR was registered against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dilip Ghosh in West Bengal’s Durgapur for his remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The development comes after Ghosh, on Wednesday, apologised for his remarks, while the Election Commission issued him a show-cause notice for the comments, asking him to respond by March 29.
In a video widely shared on social media, Ghosh could be seen mocking the Trinamool Congress supremo’s family background.
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According to the English translation of Ghosh’s remark, as provided by the Election Commission in its notice, he had said, “When Didi goes to Goa, she becomes Goa’s daughter, in Tripura, she says I am Tripura’s daughter, decide who is your father, this is not right.”
Dilip Ghosh’s remarks were reportedly in reference to the Trinamool Congress’s poll slogan in the 2021 Bengal Assembly polls ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chaye’ (Bengal wants its own daughter).
Following his comments, the Trinamool Congress lodged a complaint against the BJP leader with the Election Commission over his remarks, after which, the poll body deemed the comment offensive, insulting, and prima facie a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the commission’s earlier advisory.
The poll authority reminded the Lok Sabha MP of the provision of the MCC which states that criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work.
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Later, the BJP also sought clarification from Ghosh.
Ghosh, a former state BJP president, clarified that he harbours no personal animosity towards the chief minister.
He expressed regret, acknowledging that both his party and the general public had reservations about his choice of words. “If it is so, I am sorry for that,” Ghosh said.