By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress legislator Sikha Mitra Wednesday admitted being apprehensive about attending the West Bengal assembly following fisticuffs between members of her ruling party and the opposition.
“I don’t know which party was involved, but whoever has done it is highly deplorable. It was a heinous act and should be condemned. After the incident, I am highly apprehensive about attending the assembly,” said Sikha Mitra, who is the wife of Trinamool Congress MP Somen Mitra.
Mitra’s comments come a day after the assembly witnessed a scuffle between ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition Left Front members that left three legislators hospitalised.
The legislator from Chowringhee constitency in Kolkata also refused to abide by the party’s diktat that important functionaries, ministers, parliament and assembly members seek permission in advance from the party before speaking to the media. She called the directive “a Talibani fatwa”.
“I do not live in a land where I will have to abide by a Talibani fatwa. I am not sorry for my comment and I stick to what I said. I stated the truth and have no qualms in saying what is true. There are many such truths to be said,” she said.
“Why should I be sorry? I am answerable only to the people who have elected me and no one else. If we the elected representatives indulge in fistfights, then how can we have the moral right to judge the wrongs committed by the common man? Who will judge our follies?” Mitra added.
“I have not received any official communication as of yet and can only comment after I get it,” Sikha said about media reports which claimed she was suspended from the party for her outburst.
The legislator earlier attracted the party’s wrath when she filed a defamation case against her party leader and state industries minister Partha Chatterjee.
Chatterjee allegedly had made defamatory remarks earlier this year against Sikha Mitra after she attended a programme at the rival Congress’ headquarters in the city.