My words were not ok, but her behaviour was unwarranted, says Bengal Minister

Kolkata, Aug 4 (IANS) Stopping short of saying sorry, controversial West Bengal Minister Akhil Giri, on Sunday, said that he should not have used threatening words against the woman forest officer, but added that her behaviour was unwarranted. 

“The words that I uttered in the heat of the moment were not appropriate. I should not have uttered those words towards a government official,” Giri told mediapersons in the afternoon.

However, the minister was not ready to accept that the fault was entirely on his part and indirectly blamed the woman forest officer for his unwarranted behaviour. “Her way of speaking was not appropriate. The current forest ranger is not liked by anyone in the administration. She made the situation complicated,” Giri said.

The Minister had earlier hit the national headlines for making derogatory comments concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu.

However, despite tendering a public apology through the mediapersons, troubled days are ahead for Giri as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken strong objections to his recent behaviour, Trinamool Congress insiders said.

A crucial meeting of the state cabinet is scheduled on Monday, where the Chief Minister is likely to seek an explanation from Giri for her comments on the matter. Before the meeting, sources said that the West Bengal Minister of State for the forest department (independent charge) Birbaha Hansda is scheduled to submit a report to the Chief Minister based on her observations on the matter.

Meanwhile, state BJP leader and the counsel of the Calcutta High Court Koustav Bagchi forwarded a communique to Governor C.V. Ananda Bose requesting the latter to initiate the removal of Giri from his ministerial chair. In the letter, Bagchi said that Minister Giri was a habitual offender, and also reminded how the same minister had earlier passed derogatory remarks concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu.

On Saturday, a purported video went viral on social media showing Minister Akhil Giri abusing a woman forest department officer.

In the video, the Minister could be seen threatening the forest officer using abusive language, “You are a government employee, bow down your head (in front of me) while speaking. See what happens to you within a week… Mend your ways. You will see what happens when people beat you with sticks.”

Giri was heard alleging that following instructions from the woman officer, the forest department staff demolished shops of local people late into the night when it was raining torrentially.

“I want to see how powerful an officer you are,” the Minister was heard saying as he yelled at the officer. The officer was heard questioning Giri as to how she could be removed for doing her duty. To this, Giri asked, "Who asked you to be on night duty? Why were the shops demolished at night,” which the officer refuted.