‘You don’t know me’: TMC minister allegedly threatens on-duty woman forest officer
Officers aware of the development said that the woman range officer, Manisha Sau, had gone to the spot after some shops came up on forest land in Tajpur, a popular beach destination
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Akhil Giri, who had earlier courted controversy for his statements against President Droupadi Murmu in 2022, has again come under fire after a video surfaced in which he could allegedly be seen threatening a woman forest officer at Tajpur in East Midnapore for evicting encroachment on government land.
“Please cooperate with everyone. You won’t be able to stay for long. Your longevity is seven to 10 days. I am aware of the corruption in the forest department. I will spill the beans in the legislative assembly. You don’t know me. I threw a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) into the sea,” Giri, the state correctional administration minister, was purportedly seen saying in the video.
Officers aware of the development said that the woman range officer, Manisha Sau, had gone to the spot after some shops came up on forest land in Tajpur, a popular beach destination.
“She doesn’t want to listen to anybody. It seems she had come with the powers of the president. Just watch what happens to you this week. We are taking 25 feet (of forest land). If you come here, you won’t be able to go back. You are a government worker. Talk with your heads down,” Giri allegedly said.
The woman officer could be heard saying, “Sir, I have neither anything personal against you nor against them. I am just doing my duty.”
In June, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee pulled up government officials, saying that several government buildings had been encroched upon across the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked the ruling TMC while raising questions about whether Giri would be arrested for obstructing government workers.
“Will Mamata Banerjee dare to throw out this minister and put him behind bars? Will charges be filed against him for obstructing government workers and outraging the modesty of women? Let’s see if this goon is kicked inside the jail for threatening to indirectly kill and outrage the modesty of a woman,” the BJP’s state unit wrote on X.
The minister said that a portion of the embankment had collapsed and some shops were on the verge of being washed away by the sea. The shopkeepers set up their stalls a few metres back.
“Their livelihood was under threat, as the sea water was gushing in. They set up their stalls on forest land around 20–25 metres away. They would have vacated the area once the embankment was repaired. The officer came around midnight and broke the shops,” Giri later told reporters.
In November 2022, Giri triggered controversy after a 17-second video clip of him commenting on the “looks of the president” went viral on social media. CM Banerjee had apologised for her cabinet colleague’s statement.
“The party doesn’t approve this kind of language and comments. We strongly protest against it. It is condemnable. He hasn’t done the right thing,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC leader, told media persons.