Kolkata councillor show-caused after hurting Christian sentiments
During the Budget debate of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Monday, February 19, the Trinamool Congress councillor of ward 109, actor Ananya Banerjee stirred up a controversy by using a hypothetical scenario to illustrate the disparity between the superficial and the genuine. This action resulted in her being issued a show-cause notice by KMC.
“During the Budget speech, some statements by councillor Ananya Banerjee have hurt the sentiments of a section of a community. I am clarifying that we do not endorse what she said and the party condemns her statements. The municipal party has sought an explanation from her on the matter,” Mayor Firhad Hakim tweeted on Monday evening.
In her conversation with the media, Ananya Banerjee emphasised that she had not intended to offend anyone and clarified that her remarks had been misinterpreted.
She stated, “I have yet to receive any show-cause letter. Should one be issued, I will provide a response.”
In her speech after the declaration of a Rs 112-crore Budget for the city, Ananya Banerjee said that the 112th Psalm of the Holy Bible talks about sexual relationships and went on to narrate a story.
“Let me narrate an allegorical story. Open sex is acceptable in foreign countries. A father from a church was going to his church in a car. On the way, he gave a lift to a nun. He started touching her inappropriately inside the car. The nun told the father that she has read Psalm 112 of the Holy Bible. On reaching the church, the father opened the holy book to Psalm 112 and found it written, ‘Go inside, go deep inside, only then can you reach your desired goal’ “.
Her statements were strongly objected to by the Trinamool councillor from ward 63 (covering the Park Street area) Sushmita Bhattacharya, who happens to be a Christian by faith.
BJP councillors Sajal Ghosh and Ravi Ojha came to Bhattacharya’s support and even demanded that Ananya Banerjee be debarred as a representative in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
