TMC's Kunal Ghosh sticks to stand on boycotting artists who badmouthed Mamata during protests

Kolkata: Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Friday stuck to his stand that those artists who "uttered unsavoury words" against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during protests on RG Kar hospital incident should not be invited to perform in concerts organised by clubs helmed by ruling party supporters.

Ghosh’s assertion came a day after Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the ruling party has no objection to the participation of members from the showbiz industry in any musical soiree for their role in protests against the state's handling of the issue.

The controversy began when Ghosh, one of the spokespersons of the ruling party, had stated in a Facebook post two days back that the artists "who had used unparliamentary and provocative words against the TMC supremo" during the R G Kar protests should be boycotted in events organised by TMC-controlled clubs.

Abhishek Banerjee said on Thursday that everyone has the right to speak what he or she thinks and “an artist's utterances at any demonstration should not come in the way of his/her participation at cultural programmes." "Unlike the 34 years of Left rule, we had never exercised any control in the cultural front,” he claimed.

Ghosh, however, refused to retract his statement.

He told reporters on Friday: "My leader Abhishek Banerjee may not be aware of the vicious and intense bitter personal attacks, abuses and unsavoury words levelled at the TMC chairperson by a section of protestors in three months after the R G Kar incident.” Ghosh said Abhishek Banerjee was away from the state because of medical reasons when some of the singers and artists of the Bengal entertainment industry had joined in such personal attacks.

“He might not be aware of the situation. I will apprise him in detail. We cannot pardon someone who had badmouthed the Bengal CM. Personal liberty and artistic freedom do not guarantee one the right to utter whatever he likes against the CM of the state for no fault on her part," Ghosh said.

Ghosh, who made another post on social media reiterating its stand to boycott a handful of such artists, said there is a difference between protest and planned uncivilized behaviour, using cuss words against the CM, the government, the party and its workers and making provocative statements.

Standing by Ghosh, Bengal Education minister and senior TMC leader Bratya Basu said, "We had all witnessed how our leader and the entire state government and administration were subjected to vilification campaign in the name of protests.” "Now my query to those who had returned awards: will you please back up your claim with documents that you have actually returned the award money?" he asked.

TMC MP Kalyan Bandyopadhyay said a section of artists had used disrespectful words against Mamata Banerjee, the party and the administration in the name of protests.

“There is no question of allowing such people to occupy the stage during the cultural programmes organised by people who love and respect the CM and denounce any bid to malign Bengal and the party,” he said.

Bandyopadhyay said if he comes across any of those “culprits” in music concerts at his Srirampur constituency, he will make him get down from the stage.

BJP leader and actor Rudranil Ghosh said this shows the "dictatorial face of TMC and how they look at the issue of artistic freedom." "In the TMC regime, only those who will toe the party line are welcome. If they air their views on certain issues freely, their voices will be muzzled," he said.