Bengal legislator equates CM with a whore

Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, is known for her intolerance to the slightest criticism. But this time she doesn't even need to point a finger – the comments made about her on Thursday by Anisur Rahman, a legislator from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), would be actionable in any civilised country.

The West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) today took cognizance of the obscene comments made by the MLA earlier this week and asked the state's Director General of Police Naparajit Mukherjee to look into the matter.

"We have issued a notice with regard to the comments made by Anisur Rahman at Itahar," WBHRC chairman Ashok Ganguly, a retired judge, said in Kolkata. The commission has asked DGP Mukherjee to submit a CD of the television footage on Rahaman's controversial speech.

Although the commission is on vacation till 1 January, Justice Ganguly made a special appearance and passed the order. "Since the matter is unprecedented, the chairman came to work during the holidays," said Sujoy Haldar, joint secretary in the WBHRC.

Rahman was a minister in the previous Left Front government; he is now the deputy leader of his party in the Assembly. He is also the chairman of the public accounts committee.

A storm erupted after his comments made during a political rally at Itahar in North Dinajpur district of the state on Wednesday were repeatedly aired by television channels on Thursday.