All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee abused Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury and called her “behaya” during an election campaign. He charged, “You claim to be Nirbhaya (fearless). You are not Nirbhaya, you are Nirmam (cruel), you are Behaya (shameless), you are Niruddesh (purposeless) and you are Byortho (failure). You are the party’s (BJP) representative to keep people banchito (deprived), lanchito (stigmatised), atyacharito (oppressed) and sochita (victimised).”
However, the derogatory speech soon came under fire and the National Commission for Women took notice of it and denounced the statement. Chairperson Rekha Sharma also wrote to the state’s Director general of police and demanded an action report in four days. It stated, “NCW’s attention has been drawn to a Twitter post dated April 24, 2024, wherein TMC party leader Mr Abhishek Banerjee from Malda Dakshin Constituency made derogatory remarks towards Ms Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhary, known as Nirbhoy Didi, for her initiative in establishing Nirbhoy Gram in Malda.”
It added, “Such remarks not only undermine efforts for women’s safety but also perpetuate disrespect for women’s rights. The Commission condemns this verbal assault Hon’ble chairperson NCW Rekha Sharma has written a letter to the DGP of the state to submit an action taken report within four days.”
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party also slammed the TMC leader for his offensive remarks. The state unit of the party charged, “Abhishek Banerjee’s disgusting tirade against Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury, resorting to abusive slurs like ‘BEHAYA’ (বেহায়া), epitomizes the toxic culture of misogyny and disrespect rampant in Bengal. It’s a shameful reflection of his party’s values.”
BJP’s IT cell head also countered the objectionable comments of Abhishek Banerjee and termed him a “protector of rapists like Sheikh Shahjahan and goons like Anubrata Monda.” He mentioned, “We strongly condemn the misogynist and deplorable comments made by Abhishek Banerjee against our MLA and Malda Dakshin Candidate Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury. Calling a woman “বেহায়া” (utterly shameless) shows his class and upbringing.”
He further accused, “Also, TMC and Abhishek Banerjee (the foul-mouthed nephew of Bengal CM) and protector of rapists like Sheikh Shahjahan and goons like Anubrata Mondal, might not know that the term Nirbhoy associated with her name because of the creation of Nirbhoy Gram in Malda, where women were protected from rapes and trafficking. She did this on her own with no political affiliation. Shameful for TMC to mock the cause of women.”
Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, popularly known as Nirbhaya Didi, is a social worker, women’s rights activist and former journalist. She was involved with the process of rehabilitation of rape victims and providing toilets to women. She chaired the special task force on rape, trafficking and violence against women set up by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the 2012 Delhi gang rape. She ran as a BJP candidate in the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election from English Bazar and won.
The BJP reposed faith in her as the party’s contestant from Maldaha Dakshin which is one of West Bengal’s forty-two Lok Sabha constituencies and is a highly anticipated constituency while the TMC has chosen Shanawaz Ali Rehan as its candidate. Polling for the constituency is scheduled for 7th May and the result will be out on 4th June.