Opposition criticise Murshidabad MP for his absence
The Statesman | 19 April 2025
On Saturday, Yusuf Pathan, Trinamul Congress MP from Berhampur in Murshidabad district, took to his Instagram handle to post three photos, one of which showed him sipping tea.
The photo prompted a section of Pathan’s party leaders in Murshidabad to criticise the former cricketer of the India team for not visiting the violence-ravaged areas like Samserganj, Suti, Raghunathganj, Dhulian in the district.
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Some leaders of the ruling party ridiculed the Berhampore MP saying: “He is seen in Instagram but not in trouble-hit villages of Murshidabad.”
Besides these aggrieved Trinamul Congress leaders, including several MLAs, the Opposition didn’t also spare Pathan for not visiting the riot-ravaged places mainly under three Assembly constituencies.
TMC local leaders on Friday said they are in touch with him over the phone and have urged him to visit the district soon.
“He must visit the affected areas where communal clashes erupted for peace and harmony. He can’t avoid his responsibility as a MP though the affected areas are not under his parliamentary constituency. But many of our party MLAs in Murshidabad, who are not under Berhampur Lok Sabha, had campaigned for him during the parliamentary polls in 2024. He should reach out to the victims of violence to share their woes,” Humayun Kabir, Trinamul Congress MLA from Bharatpur in the district, told The Statesman on Friday.
“He is seen in Instagram but not in Murshidabad,” he added, expressing displeasure over the celebrity MP’s absence during the crisis.
“Yusuf Pathan is a celebrity cricketer. Why would he come here to our district? We are the ones trying to manage the situation on the ground. This is the issue with nominating celebrities. He is in touch with us over the phone, and we have asked him to come to the district. But right now, he is busy with the IPL,” said a senior leader of the ruling party in Murshidabad requesting anonymity.
“Although the violence-hit areas do not fall under his constituency, he should have at least paid a visit to the district. As a people’s representative, he should have participated in peace meetings, which have been attended by two other party MPs Abu Taher Khan and Khalilur Rahaman from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies respectively and MLAs of the party.” the Trinamul Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.
The BJP seized on the opportunity to criticise the ruling party.
A BJP leader said, “Bengal is burning under the indulgence of TMC leaders. But TMC MP Yusuf Pathan is busy sipping tea as Hindus get slaughtered. This is the true face of the TMC.”