Kolkata:
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday accepted its leader Tapas Pal's unconditional apology as it believed the letter was written in right spirit, party MP and spokesperson Derek O'Brien said.
“He offered unconditional apology to the members of party, women of Bengal and people of the nation in his letter. The tone of the letter was contrite and the matter ends there. CM Mamata Banerjee told us that everyone has to be responsible about what they speak in public,” Derek O'Brien said.
Pal had on Tuesday tendered an unconditional apology for his threat to kill CPI-M workers and having their women raped after he was asked by an embarrassed party leadership to do so following widespread outrage.
Pal, also a Bengali film actor, said in making such comments he had let down his constituents and the people of Bengal.
“Some remarks made by me in the heat and dust of the election campaign have caused dismay and consternation. I apologise unreservedly for them,” Pal said in a written apology to the Trinamool Congress and the media.
“I have no excuses to offer. It was a gross error of judgement and deeply insensitive. It should not have happened. And I assure you it will not happen again. Once more, a humble apology,” he said.
“Whatever the provocation—and there was an attempt at provocation - those comments should never have been made,” the letter said.
He said in making the comments he had let down the people of Bengal. “I have let down my party, the Trinamool Congress, and my political colleagues, I have let down my family, including my wife and children and my parents, and my friends.
“I apologise to all of them, and particularly to all women in our society and to those in the media who highlighted the issue,” the two-time Lok Sabha MP from Krishnagar said.
Pal was shown in a video footage on a vernacular TV news channel, saying, “If any CPI-M man is present here. Listen to me. If you ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker or their families at Choumaha, you have to pay for this. Don’t try to act smart with me. I am smarter than you...”
