Bengal lawmakers to raise Katju remarks, Netaji family demands arrest

West Bengal legislators have expressed their wish to raise in the assembly the issue of former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju's derogatory remarks against Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Speaker Biman Banerjee said here on Wednesday.

"Many MLAs have expressed their anguish over the remarks and want a discussion on the issue. I will discuss this with the parliamentary affairs minister," the speaker told media persons after an all-party meeting.

The week-long assembly session will begin on September 18.

Katju, also former chairman of the Press Council of India, described Tagore as a "British stooge" and Netaji as a "Japanese agent".

"I am soon coming to Kolkata where I will give a speech with a scathing attack on that British stooge Tagore and that Japanese agent Subhas Chandra Bose in a talk in some university or institution.

"That will be throwing a stone in a beehive, and send many Bengalis swarming like hornets for my blood," Katju had said on social networking websites.

Meanwhile, family members of Netaji demanded Katju's arrest and said they will raise the issue with the central government.

"The remarks are an insult to the entire nation. Moreover, they are aimed at hurting communal sentiments. The central government should act suo motu and arrest him for publicly insulting national icons," Netaji's grandnephew and family spokesperson Chandra Kumar Bose said.

"The way he instigated the people of Bengal, if he comes here, there may be a law and order situation. The Centre must immediately take action against him," he said.

Chandra Kumar said the Bose family will formally raise the matter with the central government and if needed may also initiate legal action.

On Tuesday, BJP legislator Samik Bhattacharya filed a complaint before Kolkata police seeking action for the "abusive remarks".