Mamata does it again, threatens to slap lensmen at fair

Panagarh (

), Feb 11: West Bengal Chief Minister lost her cool in a public space again on Sunday when she lashed out at photo-journalists at the Maati Utsab here on Saturday. She threatened to slap the journalists, whom she also termed as 'uncivilised', for pushing and shoving near the kitchen area of the fair.

"Ek thappar debo. Ashabhyagulo. Dekhchen na agune ranna hochhe (I will give you a tight slap, you uncivilised lot. Can't you see that food is being cooked here?)," an animated Mamata told the photigraphers as they jostled near the kitchen.

The chief minister wasn't pleased at being pursed by the media photographers although she did not stop them. But she lost her cool near the cooking tent where the media persons forced their way forward around the cooking fire. At this point, Banerjee turned around and hit out at them.

It was the second time within a week that Banerjee lost her temper. A few days ago, she abused her security guards at the Kolkata Book Fair over the delay in her car's arrival. She told her guards that they should be whipped for not arranging things properly when all sources said that it was she who had left the securitymen surprised by taking an unplanned route to exit.

Saturday's incident at the Maati Utsab created a huge uproar with opposition parties, civil society and common people criticising the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo for misbehaving with people often. Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra said it was unfortunate and could not be expected from a person who holds a public office. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim was more harsh when she said Banerjee was trying to portray a cultured image through all the fairs and programmes but in reality, she had no regard for democracy. One politician even said Banerjee is an illiterate leader.

TMC leader Derek O'Brien, however, refused to accept the criticism, saying it was a c complete misrepresentation of facts. He said Banerjee never lost her cool and it was the media which projected her in the wrong light.

OneIndia News