'Our Men Did Right Thing': WB BJP Chief Dilip Ghosh On Party Workers Heckling Woman Protester

Triggering a fresh controversy, the West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, on Thursday, January 30, said that the lone woman protester, who was heckled by the BJP workers in a pro-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally in Kolkata, should 'thank her stars that nothing else was done to her.'

During the rally from Patuli to Bagha Jatin in the southern part of the city, which was led by Ghosh, a woman protester was seen carrying an anti-CAA poster and condemning Thursday's Jamia Millia Islamia shooting.

The BJP supporters snatched the poster from her and verbally abused her. They also heckled her before she was rescued by the police posted in the area.

"Our men did the right thing. She should thank her stars that she was only heckled and nothing else was done to her. Why do they (protesters against the CAA) always come to our rallies to protest? They can go to other events. We have tolerated a lot, but now we won't tolerate such nuisance," Ghosh said.

However, the woman protester, in her mid-twenties, said that she will continue to fight against the "fascist BJP."

Meanwhile, Ghosh's comments resulted in widespread criticism from opposition parties. Condemning Ghosh's statement, senior CPI(M) leader Shamik Lahiri said, "His comments reflect both his and his party's sadistic and perverted mindset." He further asked the BJP leader to refrain from making such comments.

Senior Congress leader Manoj Chakraborty said Ghosh should "publicly apologise" for his statements.

Dilip Ghosh is not new to stirring up controversies for his derogatory statements. Early this month, he had caused massive uproar for his statement "anti-CAA protesters who destroyed public property were shot like dogs in BJP-ruled states." Yet, the BJP has initiated no action against him.