On September 18, Union Cabinet minister, Babul Supriyo landed himself in a controversy after he threatened to “break a leg” of a man and “hand him a crutch” while addressing a public event for the differently-abled in West Bengal’s Asansol.
The singer-turned-politician reportedly lost his cool, when a man in the audience in Nazrul Manch, Asansol, kept moving during the programme. This distracted Supriyo and angered him after which the minister blasted. In a viral video, the minister is seen shouting at the man from the stage. He further orders the security personnel to break the man’s leg and hand him a crutch if he “dares to move away from his place again,” reported The Quint.
Supriyo goes on to say, “Next time if he (man) moves from there then remove one of his legs, and I will give these people sticks to beat him up.” He then asks the man in the audience, if he has understood or not. Later the minister also asked the audience to “clap for the man”.
The incident happened, at an event where the minister was invited to distribute wheelchair and other equipment to the differently abled people.
What happened to you? Any problem? I can break one of your legs: Union Minister Babul Supriyo to a man during a program for differently abled people at Nazrul Manch in Asansol #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/cFxpF7K6Pn
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2018
“I was just joking around”
The Logical Indian spoke to the Minister for his clarification on the entire controversy to which he said that he was just play-acting. “As the whole event was a bit unorganised, so I was just joking around to make the environment lighter,” he said. He further says that the people who were present there knew it was just a joke and they were all laughing and clapping about it.
Blaming the media for highlighting the issue, he says, “The media has just picked up a small clip and made it public without giving any context. I know, I am doing my work and I leave media to do there work,” he added.
Some more remarks
The minister courted another controversy after he threatened to “skin those opposing his entry” while he was visiting his constituency, Asansol, one of the areas hit by communal violence following Ram Navami processions in West Bengal in March 2018.
Defending his statement Supriyo said, “Yes, I said that to the 3 TMC cadres who appeared out of nowhere and started abusing me and threatening the victims who were speaking up,” reported Newslaundry.
Also read: Ram Navami Violence: Union Minister Babul Supriyo Threatens To “Skin” People Alive, Booked For Rioting, Assault
