Confusion prevails over Mamata ad
Confusion prevails in the controversy relating to the complaints filed by the railway ministry for showing the railway minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, modelling for a particular brand of rubber slippers (hawai chappal) in a Bengali daily on Monday.
While the joint commissioner of the Delhi police, Mr Dharmendra Kumar, claimed that the “complaint has been forwarded to the Kolkata police”, the joint commissioner of police (headquarters), Kolkata police, Jawed Shamim said, “We have not received any communication from the Delhi police.”
Mystery shrouds on how the advertisement showing Ms Banerjee promoting the “Ajanta Hawai” rubber slippers got published in the newspaper. The railways has reportedly lodged a complaint with the Parliament Street police station against the footwear company for publishing the advertisement without “consent or permission” of the minister. However, when contacted the deputy manager of the footwear company Shoubhik Gupta initially said that the Bengali newspaper, which had published the advertisement, “will speak on the issue”.
When the newspaper, which belongs to a Trinamul Rajya Sabha MP was contacted, they said that nothing much can be said apart from the fact that “some correspondence have been exchanged between us and Ajanta”.
Responding to the newspaper reaction, the Ajanta official claimed that the “we know that the complaint has been lodged against us. We have relevant documents to make out point.” He refused to elaborate on the issue.
Meanwhile Ms Banerjee, who on Thursday flagged off the Commonwealth Express in the national capital, refused to speak to the media over the issue. When confronted she rushed off saying, “I am late for the Cabinet meeting, I don’t have a minute to spare.”
Meanwhile the Left parties are looking at the developing scenario. Opinions are being sought if the “issue comes under the purview of office of profit,” a CPI(M) leader said.
Ms Banerjee is expected to meet the Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee on Friday night for dinner.
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