Under all round attack, Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal today tendered unconditional apology for his insensitive comments threatening to kill opposition CPI-M workers and having their women raped if a single ruling party worker was attacked.
The apology came following a direction from the party after his remarks triggered outrage and strong condemnation from political parties and noted personalities.
"His comments are condemnable. The party does not approve of it. The party has sought an explanation from him and cautioned him. The party asked that he tender an unconditional apology to the people for his comments," TMC general secretary Mukul Roy said.
Another senior party leader and state education minister Partha Chatterjee described Pal's threat as "condemnable".
He told reporters outside the Assembly premises, "It is condemnable. Our party leader(Mamata Banerjee) is deeply saddened. He has been cautioned and an explanation has been sought from him. The party does not support this kind of conduct."
Pal's comments drew flak from another senior party leader and Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee who said that a decision would be taken on what action to be taken at a meeting of party MPs tomorrow to be presided over by Mamata Banerjee.
Yesterday the TMC demanded an explanation in writing from Pal, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Krishnagar constitency in Nadia district twice in 2009 and 2014, within 48 hours.
The CPI-M, the target of Pal's attack, today demanded that Parliament should act against the actor-turned MP and that cases be filed for criminal intimidation and incitement to violence after describing the hate speech as "shocking and obnoxious".
"The speech of the Trinamool Congress MP, Tapas Pal, inciting violence and rape against CPI(M) workers and women is shocking and obnoxious. He threatened murder, destruction of homes of CPI(M) men and to send his boys to rape women there," the CPI(M) politburo said in a statement.
