WB vandalism case: Union minister remains defiant

A day after Congress workers vandalised the Murshidabad district magistrate's office in his presence, Union minister Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Friday remained defiant saying he stood by what he did and was ready to go to jail, even as police filed FIRs against about 1200 people.

"I stand by what I did. I am ready to face any consequence. I am ready to go to jail," he said.

"It was expected that a case will be filed against me. Earlier also I had faced a number of charges. I tried to pacify the mob. Everybody witnessed the role played by me. It was appreciated by local officials."

He said West Bengal Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharjee, CLP leader and three MPs had gone to submit a memorandum to District Magistrate Rajiv Kumar, but were told that he was having lunch.

"How dare the DM refuse to meet the delegation? He challenged the authority of the Congress. If I were the chief minister, I would have suspended him," Chowdhury said.

Bhattacharjee told reporters in Kolkata that Kumar did not meet them and no Congress worker was involved in the vandalism.

Defending Chowdhury, he said the minister of state for railways had controlled the mob. "The DM lacked etiquette. I sought a glass of water, but he refused to give it."

Murshidabad SP Humayun Kabir told reporters here that FIRs were registered against about 1200 Congress workers for the rampage in the DM's office.

"We have asked for video footage. We will try to identify the persons present there and take action," he said.

Asked if the central minister's name figured in the FIRs, he said, "In the interest of the investigation it will not be proper to disclose any name."