After former West Bengal Chief Minister Bhattacherjee admitted the complicity of partymen in the killing of nine villagers at Netai in East Midnapore district three years, Panchyat minister Subrata Mukherjee today demanded his arrest.
"Bhattacherjee, who was also holding the home portfolio then should be arrested and prosecuted for suppressing facts under appropriate sections of the IPC," Mukherjee told a tv talkshow on the issue.
"What will Bhattacherjee now tell families of those who were killed? Mere admission will not do. He had taken oath under the Constitution that he would not discriminate against anyone as he was the head of the state," Mukherjee, a senior Trinamool Congress, said.
Earlier demanding legal steps against Bhattacherjee, Mukherjee, the senior most minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, said the law was applicable to Bhattacharjee as it was to other citizens.
The incident, which had caused a nationwide furore, had taken place during the tenure of Bhattacharjee.
Bhattacharjee had told a public rally organised by the Left Front at Midnapore yesterday said that incidents like Netai were wrong and that his party cadres did wrong.
Nine villagers were killed in firing from a house owned by a local CPI(M) leader at Netai village in West Midnapore district on January 7, 2011.
