TMC asks jail minister Akhil Giri to resign for threatening woman forest officer

Kolkata: West Bengal correctional home department minister Akhil Giri said on Sunday afternoon that he would resign from the cabinet as instructed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Subrata Bakshi but refused to apologise to the woman range officer of the forest department he allegedly threatened and insulted in public on Saturday.
“I will e-mail by resignation letter today following Subrata Bakshi’s instruction. I will meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee tomorrow and hand over the letter to her. As a politician, I have never apologized to any officer. The question does not arise. I uttered harsh words in anger, but I was fighting for the local people who lost their shops,” Giri told the media at Ramnagar, his assembly constituency in East Midnapore district. 
Videos of Saturday’s incident went viral, prompting the TMC leadership to condemn Giri’s behaviour. Bakshi called the minister on Sunday and asked him to tender his resignation immediately and personally apologise to range officer Manisha Sau, whom Giri confronted at the Tajpur sea beach.
Giri accused Sau of pulling down around 20 shops set up on the beach by local people, while the officer claimed that her department had carried out the chief minister’s recent order to evict all encroachers from government land. The Tajpur beach is a popular tourist destination.
“This is their internal matter. I work for the government. I cannot comment,” Sau told the media after the minister announced that he would step down.
TMC state vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar said, “The highest leadership instructed Giri to resign and apologise to the officer. If he does not apologise, then the party will take its decision.”
Also Read: ‘You don’t know me’: TMC minister allegedly threatens on-duty woman forest officer
In 2022 as well, Giri caused major embarrassment to TMC when he made a humiliating remark against President Droupadi Murmu. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had to apologise in public after the 17-second video went viral.
In Saturday’s video that was telecast by several news channels, Giri could be seen shouting at Sau and purportedly calling her “an animal.”
“You won’t be able to stay (in the department) for long. Your longevity is seven to ten days. I am aware of the corruption in the forest department. I will spill the beans at the legislative assembly. You don’t know me. I threw a subdivisional police officer (SDPO) in the sea,” Giri was purportedly heard saying in the video.
Forest department officers said Sau went to the spot with a team after getting information that some shops had come up on forest land.
“She doesn’t want to listen to anybody. It seems she came with the powers of the president. Just watch what happens to you this week. We are taking 25 feet (of forest land). If you come here, you won’t be able to go back. You are a government servant. Talk to me with your head down,” Giri could be heard saying in the video.
Sau could be heard saying, “Sir, I have nothing personal against you or them (the shopkeepers). I am just doing my duty.”
In June, Banerjee pulled up government officials and ministers at an administrative meeting, saying vested land had been illegally occupied and even sold in several districts. She ordered immediate action. Several TMC leaders have been arrested in north Bengal since then on charges of grabbing government land.
Samik Bhattacharya, chief spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bengal unit, said, “Giri has done nothing exceptional as far as TMC is concerned. We have seen many TMC leaders threatening government officials in the past. No action was taken against them. Giri should be arrested because stopping a government official from discharging duty is a punishable offence in India.”
since then on charges of grabbing government land.
Samik Bhattacharya, chief spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bengal unit, said: “Giri has done nothing exceptional as far as TMC is concerned. We have seen many TMC leaders threatening government officials in the past. No action was taken against them. Giri should be arrested because stopping a government official from discharging duty is a punishable offence in India.”