Kolkata: A day after a row erupted over Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal threatening to get CPI (M) women raped in retaliation, his wife Nandini Pal today apologized for her husband's controversial comment and said that he should not have used the word ‘rape'.
“I apologise for his comment. Of course there is no question of supporting it. But yes I know there is another part of the story, which provoked him to do that. The entire incident had happened long back, what led to such a thing there is another part of the story,” Nandini told reporters here.
“On behalf of him I am saying sorry,” said Nandini. The controversial comment had triggered uproar and was condemned by the opposition parties. CPI (M) leaders demanded that the LS Speaker take suo motu cognizance's provocative statement and expel him.
Trinamool Congress demanded an explanation from the MP within 48 hours for his outburst. “The statements made by Mr Tapas Pal are utterly insensitive. The party does not in any way endorse what he said many weeks ago, which is being played out on TV channels,” party spokesman Derek O Brien had said.
National Commission for Women (NCW) is enraged too and is demanding for arrest of the actor turned politician. “He has insulted women of the entire country. Immediate action should be taken against him. He should be arrested and asked to resign,” NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma said.
Tapas Pal's comment went viral on TV news channel yesterday. It 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. (Trinamool MP says he will unleash rapists on Marxists)
Pal, however, denied that he spoke about rape. “What I said was I will tell my workers to ‘raid'.”
BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “It is a bizarre remark. It is unthinkable that a person like him would say something like this. The question needs to be asked to Mamata Banerjee if she would endorse such statements and what action would be taken.”
“There is no place for enmity in politics. He should justify his statement, so should the party,” said Congress leader Manish Tewari.
