After reading out two statements made by Humayun Kabir, Suvendu Adhikari said, “Enough is enough. The time has come to teach such people a lesson.”
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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari issued an unprecedented warning to Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir on the floor of the Assembly on Monday, accusing him of delivering provocative speeches and encouraging lawlessness, while indicating that strict legal action would follow against the legislator.
Speaking in the assembly, the Chief Minister read out verbatim extracts from two controversial speeches delivered by Humayun Kabir and declared that the state government would no longer tolerate what he termed “goondaraj”.
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“Consider this carefully — this may be his last speech,” Adhikari said while attacking Kabir’s recent statements.
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The issue had triggered uproar in the Assembly earlier in the day. BJP MLAs protested against Humayun Kabir, accusing him of using objectionable language against the Chief Minister and inciting violence.
Nagarakata BJP MLA Puna Bhengra first drew the Speaker’s attention to the issue, while Narayangarh MLA Ramaprasad Giri and several other BJP legislators displayed posters carrying slogans against the Nowda MLA and raised protests inside the House.
As the situation heated up, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shankar Ghosh informed the Assembly that the Chief Minister was aware of the matter and would issue a statement later in the session.
Referring to the first incident, Adhikari cited a speech delivered by Humayun Kabir at a party meeting in Kashipur under Rejinagar on June 26.
The Chief Minister claimed that Kabir had attacked BJP leader Anamika Ghosh and the party’s growing influence in Murshidabad while issuing a direct warning to him.
In that speech, Kabir allegedly said that if he took to the field with Muslims, BJP supporters would be beaten so severely that there would be nobody left to carry the party flag.
He had also allegedly threatened to bring lakhs of people onto the streets without regard for prison capacity and indicated that neither the Superintendent of Police nor even the Chief Minister would matter if tempers rose.
The Chief Minister also referred to a second incident on June 8 at Duara Ghat in Shaktipur, where Kabir allegedly made aggressive and abusive remarks against a local police station officer over the arrest of his nephew.
According to Adhikari, the MLA had threatened to surround the police station with 10,000 supporters and drag the officer out by his collar.
After reading out the two statements, Adhikari said, “Enough is enough. The time has come to teach such people a lesson.”
Taking a swipe at former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he added, “Let me tell you clearly, Mamata Banerjee is no longer the Chief Minister. You had a weak chief minister and for years you said and did whatever you wanted. That will not continue anymore.”
The Chief Minister informed the House that two specific FIRs had already been lodged against Humayun Kabir under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Adhikari also offered a political explanation for Kabir’s alleged conduct. According to him, the MLA had failed in attempts to break and politically influence elected panchayats in Bharatpur, Rejinagar and Nowda.
He further alleged that a by-election in Rejinagar was likely within the next two to three months and that Kabir was trying to consolidate the region’s Muslim vote bank in favour of his son.
“The dangerous game is being played to polarise the nearly 72 per cent Muslim voters in that region,” the chief minister alleged.
Recalling the fate of several influential strongmen who allegedly defied the law in the past, Adhikari warned Kabir saying that the latter should think “25 times before speaking”.
Without naming anyone directly, he referred to leaders from Sandeshkhali, Canning and Falta, claiming that those who once projected political dominance had eventually faced legal consequences.
Concluding his statement, the Chief Minister issued a final warning from the Assembly floor.
“The Constitution of India and the law have the final word. I am going to Murshidabad within the next week and I will establish the rule of law there. Those who called you will be dealt with first, and then I will come to you,” he said.
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