TMC demands explanation from Tapas Pal over rape remarks

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) party has sought a written explanation from party MP Tapas Pal for threatening to send his men to the homes of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders to rape their women.

MP Tapas Pal had told a gathering in Krishnanagar, "I will send my boys to their (attackers) homes and ask them to rape their women. If any of our Trinamool men are touched I will ensure that the CPI (M) is finished and ensure that their homes are burnt off."

Party leader and spokesperson Derek O Brien had condemned the statements made by Tapas Pal as utterly insensitive. He said, "The party does not in any way endorse what Pal said many weeks ago, which was utterly insensitive."

CPI (M) leader Malini Bhattacharya, however, had said the she will file a complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW) against Tapas Pal.

"We are going to approach NCW and the speaker. We want to ask Parliament to inquire into this. If Tapas Pal is proved guilty, we will launch a movement demanding his resignation," said Bhattacharya.