TMC MPs to visit MP, BJP says it shows Mamata's nervousness

Kolkata, June 16: Acting on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's threat yesterday to send Trinamool Congress MPs to BJP-ruled states in response to BJP central teams' visit to the state, the ruling party today decided to send a team of TMC MPs to visit Madhya Pradesh where a tribal woman was gangraped and paraded naked in a village.

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who will lead the team of BJP parliamentarians, said, "It has been decided that a five- member delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs will visit Bhiali Kheda village of Madhya Pradesh where a tribal woman was gangraped and paraded naked a few days back. Ray told PTI that the team would visit the place in the next two to three days and submit a report to the party supremo on return.

"Our mission is to visit the place and get the first hand information about what happened and what steps are being taken regarding the arrests and safety of the victim," Ray said.

Reacting on this, BJP national spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh said that the TMC's decision to send a team showed party supremo Mamata Banerjee's "nervousness, who is reacting rather than acting as a chief minister".

"It shows Mamata Banerjee's nervousness about the rise of the BJP in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee should take steps to improve the deteriorating law and order situation in Bengal," Singh said.

Ray, who is TMC deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, will be accompanied by party MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Arpita Ghosh, Uma Soren and Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haq. Yesterday Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "I feel that from now on, if there is any incident in any BJP-ruled state, we will also send a Trinamool Congress central team there because it cannot be one-sided. They will get just as they do, Tit for tat."

A tribal woman in Madhya Pradesh was allegedly gangraped by 10 people, including her husband, paraded naked and forced to drink urine in front of her minor son on June 13 in the village following a land dispute. After the woman lodged a complaint alleging that her husband engineered the attack, all the accused were nabbed.

PTI