Anisur should be socially boycotted: Ministers

"Rehman has committed an unpardonable offence. An apology is not enough to be excused. People should boycott him socially," ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim said.

"One can't be excused for an apology after committing a crime," Mukherjee, the panchayat minister said, adding that the CPI(M) leadership was now scrambling to control the damage.

"Making such remarks is the culture of the CPI(M) since the time of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr B C Roy, Atulya Ghosh, Prafulla Sen and Manikuntala Sen," Mukherjee alleged.

"Insulting women and making derogatory remarks against them is the culture of the CPI(M)," Mukherjee said.

Calling for social boycott of Rehman, Hakim, the urban development minister, described the CPI(M) leader as 'more of an anti-social'.

"Rehman deserves to be boycotted both socially and politically," Hakim said.

He said it would be impossible for the CPI(M) to control the damage through censure.

The ministers also criticised the Congress for not being as critical against Rehman as they were with the chief minister.

Rehman made the remarks at a rally at Itahar in North Dinajpur district on December 26 while referring to the compensation for rape announced by the West Bengal government.