Trinamool MLA replies to show-cause notice on 'offering' money to family of girl killed in Kaliganj blast

Kolkata, June 30 (IANS) Trinamool Congress legislator from Debra Assembly constituency in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal and former IPS officer, Humayun Kabir, on Monday, replied to the show-cause notice slapped on him by his party leadership last week for his decision to meet and offer money to the family members of the 13-year-old girl killed in a bomb blast at Kaliganj in Nadia district without informing his party leadership.

Although Kabir himself was silent on the contents of his reply to the show-cause notice, party insiders said he neither accepted his action as a mistake nor has he apologised.

Instead, a senior party leader, aware of the contents of the reply, said that Kabir explained why his action could not be equated with an anti-party activity.

Sources said that as per Kabir’s explanation, he met the family members of the victim girl neither as a Trinamool Congress legislator nor as a party leader, but rather as the representative of a non-political voluntary organisation he is associated with. He also offered money on behalf of that organisation only.

In his reply, Kabir also confirmed that the mother of the victim refused to accept that money. Now, it is to be seen how the Trinamool Congress would react to the reply from Kabir.

The show-cause notice was issued to Kabir last week as the Trinamool Congress viewed his action and not informing the party in advance as an embarrassment to the party. The Trinamool Congress leadership felt that Kabir’s action sent a message as if he was sent by the party to pursue the victim's family members so as not to create further controversies over the mishap and settle it against money.

Nine persons have been arrested till now in connection with the killing of the minor girl, Tamanna Khatun.

The victim's family members and the local people have alleged that the minor was killed after being hit by splinters of a bomb that was hurled during a victory procession of the ruling Trinamool Congress to celebrate the victory of its candidate Alifa Ahmed in Kaliganj bypolls, the results of which were declared on June 23.

The victim's mother accused the investigating officials of the district police of ignoring the political angle behind the event of hurling a bomb during the victory procession, which targeted her residence, where her daughter was killed.

She said that her residence was specially targeted since her entire family is ideologically inclined to and was actively associated with the CPI(M) for a long time.

--IANS

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