The Election Commission (EC) of India has “strongly censured” retired Calcutta High Court judge and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from West Bengal’s Tamluk constituency, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, and barred him from all campaigning for 24 hours after his crass remarks about chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The 24-hour bar on his campaigning began at 5:00pm yesterday.
“[T]he Commission painfully notes the fact that such abominable words have come from someone of Shri Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s educational and professional background and hence does not remotely deserve any benefit of doubt. And whereas, by Shri Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s words, he has brought damage and disrepute to the state of West Bengal that has a distinguished tradition of respect for women,” the polls body noted in its order.
On May 15, Gangopadhyay, at a public meeting in Haldia, had said in Bengali, “‘Mamata Banerjee, how much are you being sold for? Your rate is 10 lakhs, why? Because you’re getting your make up done by Keya Seth? Mamata Banerjee, is she even a woman? I keep wondering sometimes.”
