Bengal govt gets tough on hate speech, FIR against Roopa Ganguly

KPLKATA: An FIR has been lodged against BJP Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly and a police inquiry was initiated against state BJP President Dilip Ghosh for their utterances widely believed to be hate speeches.

The FIR was lodged against Ganguly at the Nimta police station under Barrackpore police commssionerate yesterday for her reportedly controversial remark that wives and daughters in Bengal cannot survive for 15 days without getting raped, a senior police officer of the commisionerate told PTI.

The complainant said she felt “threatened” and her “modesty was outraged” by Ganguly’s remark.

“Roopa Ganguly has been booked for making statements conducing public mischief, criminal intimidation and for outraging the modesty of a woman. We are conducting a probe into the matter,” the police officer said.

Ganguly speaking to a news channel in the national capital had reportedly said, “I dare all the parties, the ones who keep flattering the Bengal government and Trinamool Congress to send their daughters, wives, and sister-in-laws to Bengal without taking any hospitality from Mamata Banerjee. If they are able to survive for 15 days without getting raped, then tell me.”

Kolkata Police initiated an inquiry against state BJP President Dilip Ghosh during the day for threatening to torch West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence if the police tried to arrest him under false cases.

According to a Kolkata Police officer, a complaint was lodged at Sinthee police station in the city today by a Trinamool Congress leader against Ghosh for saying this at a public rally yesterday in Kharagpur.

“We have initiated an inquiry into the matter,” the officer said.

Ghosh while addressing a public rally near Kharagpur yesterday had threatened that he will torch Banerjee’s residence if the state police tried to arrest him under false cases.

(With PTI inputs)