Now, Mamata threatens to slap photo-journalists

Panagarh (WB): After drawing flak for suggesting that security personnel should be whipped, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee again lost her cool, threatening to slap photo-journalists. The latest tongue lashing from the leader came while inaugurating a festival in Burdwan district yesterday. [caption id=“attachment_620197” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] “I will slap you, you uncivilised people. Don’t you see it’s cooking here?” she snapped at photographers jostling for space while photographing her at the “Mati Utsav” (Earth Festival) here yesterday, when she was going round the venue. The footage went viral on TV channels here today. Mamata had been criticised for shouting at security personnel in the Kolkata Book Fair on February 6 and saying she would ‘whip’ them for making her wait for her car. Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader Md Selim said in Kolkata that the chief minister’s reported threat to slap the photo journalist only exposed her “dictatorial attitude.” “It is only within 20 months rule, the Trinamool Congress government has exposed its fascist face with Mamata Banerjee a great dictator,” Salim said. Another CPI(M) leader and former Housing Minister Goutam Deb said “Mamata Banerjee should have enough patience to deal with various matters at least considering the interest of those who have voted her party to power”. Strongly criticising the chief minister, the WBPCC President Pradip Bhattacharya wondered “how the state received such a CM. People of Bengal never expected this. It is most unfortunate the way she speaks and behaves. She should have patience to deal with issues.” Another Congress leader OP Mishra also criticised Banerjee while advising her “to take rest, reduce work load and speak in a decent manner”. Educationist Sunanda Sanyal also took strong exception to her reported behaviour and language saying that such a political culture would misguide the young generation. “How many times we have to react on her behaviour,” he wondered. Painter Sameer Aich thought “she must be overburdened with lots of responsibilities, which should be reduced”. PTI