Grab a molla and go; we'll give you Rs. 25 lakh, says the BJP MLA to Mamata Banerjee.

 KOLKATA: A BJP MLA from Onda in Bankura, Amarnath Shakha, has sparked controversy by assigning a "rate" of Rs 25 lakh to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, suggesting she take the money and leave Bengal "with a molla." His remarks have stirred political unrest for his party at a sensitive time.

Grab a molla and go; we'll give you Rs. 25 lakh, says the BJP MLA to Mamata Banerjee.

During a public meeting in Bankura's Onda on Wednesday, Shakha demanded Mamata Banerjee's resignation, citing the lapses in the Bengal administration in light of the recent rape and murder case at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. He stated, "Your rate is Rs 25 lakh," and further added, "You get hold of a molla and leave; we will pay you Rs 25 lakh."

Reacting to the controversy, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya quickly distanced the party from Shakha's statement, clarifying, "The BJP does not endorse such remarks. This was said in his personal capacity."

However, Shakha remained unapologetic and defended his statement when speaking to TOI later that day. He argued, "Mamata Banerjee has set different compensation amounts for different people. It’s Rs 50,000 for some, Rs 1 lakh for others. She even tried to offer Rs 10 lakh to the family of the RG Kar doctor." 

Senior government officials have clarified that compensation for rape victims is mandated by the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013 and the Supreme Court's ruling in the Nip-un Saxena case of 2018.

Shakha's controversial remarks come just three months after another BJP leader, Tamluk MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, questioned whether the Bengal CM's "price" was Rs 10 lakh during an election rally. This incident led the Trinamool Congress to approach the Election Commission, resulting in Gangopadhyay being barred from campaigning for 24 hours.

Seizing the moment, the Trinamool Congress, which has been under pressure since the August 9 rape and murder case, was quick to criticize the BJP, highlighting what they called the "true face" of the party. On its Facebook page, the Trinamool Congress posted, "Sometimes it’s a BJP MP (Gangopadhyay), sometimes it’s a BJP MLA (Shakha) who sets a ‘rate’ for the country's only female CM. This is the real face of the BJP. How can those who make such vile comments talk about women’s safety? Shameful and disgraceful!"

The controversy adds another layer of tension to the ongoing political rivalry in Bengal, with the Trinamool Congress leveraging the situation to question the BJP's stance on women's safety and dignity.