“Following party instructions, state president Subrata Bakshi called Akhil Giri on Sunday afternoon, instructing him to apologise to the woman officer and submit his resignation immediately,” TMC spokesperson Shantanu Sen said.
In a viral video, Giri was seen using verbal abuses against a state forest ranger Manisha Shaw, calling her “beyadob” (discourteous) and a “janowar” (beast).
Giri was heard saying in the video: “She (the officer) believes she has too much power. We have taken 25 feet here. If you enter this (place), you can never return. You are a govt employee and always speak with your heads bowed down. Erokom beyadob, janowar ranger asheni (never has such a discourteous and a beast of a ranger come here). You will understand only when hit by a stick.”
Giri added: “You cannot remain for long… you just have seven, eight, 10 days… I know what corruption goes on in the forest department. I will blurt everything out in the state assembly…”
Shaw replied: “Sir, I have nothing personal against either you or them, I am just carrying out my duty.”
Giri also told the officer how to behave. “A state employee should talk with his/her heads bowed down,” he screamed.
Giri, who is the MLA of Ramnagar within which the area is situated, said there was “no question of apologising to any official,” but he regretted his remarks and added, “I will email my resignation tonight and hand it over personally to chief minister Mamata Banerjee tomorrow in the Assembly.”
Another TMC spokesperson Jaiprakash Majumdar emphasised that the party does not tolerate such behaviour from its members and acknowledged that Giri’s outburst had somewhat tarnished the party’s image.
Incidentally, two years ago in 2022, Giri’s controversial remarks about President Droupadi Murmu were severely criticised.