This Article is From Jul 04, 2014

Misinformation Campaign Going on Against Us: Mamata Banerjee

Misinformation Campaign Going on Against Us: Mamata Banerjee

File photo: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: With the media continuing to highlight the nationwide outrage over Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Tapas Pal's rape threat, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused her detractors of carrying out a campaign of "canards and misinformation". (Tapas Pal's Rape Threat: Trinamool Spares MP With An Apology)

Addressing an official programme, Ms Banerjee said while "good work" was never publicised, small matters were getting highlighted.

"Now, as you can see, if you do some good work it is never publicised. But if somebody does something small, or even if somebody does not do it, everybody is out with a vengeance," Ms Banerjee said. ('Chop Their Heads, Slit Their Throats': More From Tapas Pal)

"A campaign of canard and misinformation is being carried out against us in a planted way. It may well be, that you don't even know what has happened. So, in such a scenario, you should keep in mind that we have to on our own arrange for ways and means to defend ourselves," she said. (For Trinamool MP Tapas Pal's Rape Threat, Wife's Apology and Defence)

Though Ms Banerjee did not mention the Tapas Pal episode, it was obvious that her ire was directed against the media and the opposition, which have criticised the Trinamool government over Mr Pal's hate speech.

The Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar in Nadia district was caught on video tapes threatening and warning Communist Party of India-Marxist cadres to beware of him, he threatened to gun them down and unleash his men to rape their women.

Repeatedly using expletives to describe CPI-M activists, Mr Pal even asked his party members and women to prove themselves by slitting rivals' throats and killing them.

Drawing flak from one and all, Mr Paul later issued an apology letter, terming his comments a "gross error of judgment" and "deeply insensitive".

The Trinamool says that the matter has ended with Mr Pal's unconditional apology, but the opposition parties in the state are seeking administrative action including the arrest of Mr Pal, a leading actor of Bengali films. There have also been calls for his expulsion from the Lok Sabha.
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