Chopra MLA: Never questioned woman’s character, not moral police
Times of India | 4 July 2024
Kolkata: One more person has been arrested in the case of the public flogging of a woman in North Dinajpur’s Chopra, police said on Wednesday. According to sources, the arrested Amirul alias Budha Mohammad, is an aide of Tajemul Haque aka ‘JCB’ — the prime accused in the case, already in custody.
Chopra MLA Hamidur Rehman on Wednesday reached the state assembly to attend a meeting, a day after CM Mamata Banerjee called him to express her displeasure.The MLA was also show-caused by Trinamool. Speaking to reporters outside, Rehman said: “A woman was insulted. I have already apologised for that. ‘JCB’ should be punished.” “I have not questioned the woman’s character. I only spoke about what she did. I am not moral police,” he added.
Asked on his links with ‘JCB’, Rehman said, “He is with Trinamool. But he is not a party office-bearer. He was not in my shelter.” Rehman then took a taxi and left, refusing to take any more questions. Rehman was sent a show-cause notice on Tuesday, two days after a video went viral of a man and a woman being pinned down to the ground and flogged by a Trinamool worker on being found “guilty” of being in an extramarital relationship by an ‘insaaf sabha’ (kangaroo court).
According to sources, the show-cause letter was sent to Rehman by North Dinajpur Trinamool district president Kanailal Agarwal. He has been given seven days to respond. The district president would forward his response to state leadership, who would then decide on the next steps.