Kolkata, July 9 (IANS) Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy on Thursday came in defence of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after a video of her slapping a party worker surfaced online, saying that the alleged slap was “affectionate” and that all workers of the party faction led by the former Chief Minister are “like her own children”.

A controversy erupted after a video showed Mamata Banerjee slapping a worker of the Trinamool Congress faction-led by her, amid chaos during the party’s protest rally in Kolkata against the alleged rape and murder of a minor in Baruipur.

Speaking to IANS, Saugata Roy said: “It is being claimed that Mamata Banerjee slapped someone, but even if she did, it was done affectionately.”

“They (Trinamool Congress workers) are all like her own children. She can do that. The media’s job is to portray us negatively. We have already said what we wanted to,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA lashed out at Mamata Banerjee over the viral video, accusing her wanting to “incite violence”.

“Now Mamata Banerjee wants violence, whereas the BJP and the government want to ensure that no violence is encouraged. Obviously, whoever indulges in violence will be punished. Therefore, the Trinamool Congress should also refrain from making any provocative statements,” BJP MP Dinesh Sharma told IANS.

JD-U National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan added: “Mamata Banerjee is still not ready to change. People who treat political parties as their personal property are ultimately rejected by the public. If Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress leadership do not refrain from such actions even now, the party will face even greater difficulties in the future.”

Meanwhile, adding to the Trinamool Congress allegations that its workers were assaulted during the protest, Saugata Roy blamed the BJP, calling it the latter’s “culture”.

“I have no expectations from it (BJP). All the goons and hooligans have come together. Trinamool Congress despite being the Opposition, is not allowed to hold a rally. Despite that, we took out our procession,” he said.

Roy also claimed: “Forty-one of our (Trinamool Congress) workers were injured and are being treated at PG Hospital and SSKM Hospital. People can see the condition of the Opposition under the BJP government.”

–IANS

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