'Pained' Mamata refuses to comment on MP's rape remarks

While Trinamool Congress leaders claim she has been "pained", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday refused to comment on party MP Tapas Paul's rape remarks that have triggered a massive outrage.

"That's a different issue. You ask Mukul Roy. He has already made a statement," Banerjee, also the party supremo, told journalists in response to queries about Paul's remarks during her visit to Raidighi in South 24-Parganas district.

Earlier, Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee and national general secretary Mukul Roy claimed that Banerjee was pained by Paul's comments and will decide on the matter Wednesday.

"Trinamool chairperson (Banerjee) is pained after hearing Paul's comments. A decision regarding the matter will be taken tomorrow (Wednesday)," Roy said.

"We do not endorse his remarks in any manner... rather we condemn it. Our chairperson is extremely pained by the remarks. We have already sought an explanation from him," Chatterjee told media persons in the state assembly.

Actor-turned-politician Paul, who represents Krishnanagar in Nadia district, has been caught in a video warning Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) men to "beware" of him as he won't "spare you and destroy your entire clan" and "unleash my boys to rape your women".

"If a CPI-M man dares to touch anybody, I will take out my gun and shoot him. I always carry a gun... I will destroy his entire clan, I warn my opponents... I will make their family pay dearly. I will ask my boys to go there. They will rape them and leave," Paul is seen saying in the video that has now gone viral.