Trinamul to sue Bengal CPI(M) leader

By Our Special Correspondent

CALCUTTA, FEB. 11. The Trinamul Congress is planning to file a Rs. 100-crore defamation suit against the CPI(M) politburo member and the West Bengal State CPI(M) secretary Mr. Anil Biswas, for calling the party chief, Ms. Mamata Banerjee ``mentally deranged''.

Ms. Banerjee's supporters alleged that Mr. Biswas was offensive when he described her thus on Wednesday and could not be allowed to get away with it. ``She is a Cabinet Minister. How can anyone call her insane? It's crazy. We will sue him (Mr.Biswas),'' Mr. Pankaj Banerjee, one of Ms. Banerjee's aides, said.

What was the provocation behind Mr. Biswas' comment on Ms. Banerjee?

On February 8, Ms. Banerjee had charged the CPI(M), with fomenting violence in the Midnapore district where many lost their lives because of the bloody clashes between the communists and the Trinamul supporters over the past few months.

She had accused that the CPI(M) cadres were masquerading as Trinamul supporters and plundering their homes. ``The CPI(M) cadres are running a parallel administration there,'' she had charged.

Mr. Biswas wondered how a responsible minister could make such comments. ``She must be insane.''

Initially, the Trinamul leaders thought of holding a demonstration outside the CPI(M) headquarters in Alimuddin Street. But Ms. Banerjee rejected the idea saying it might generate tension.

The leaders then decided to file a defamation suit. Mr. Biswas, however, is unfazed. As he views it, the Trinamul must first prove its charges and then must go to the court.

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