West Bengal Minister of State in charge of the correctional services department (independent charge) Akhil Giri, on Monday, submitted his resignation from the cabinet.
He submitted his resignation to the Chief Secretary B.P. Goapalika through WhatsApp. "I have submitted the resignation to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through the Chief Secretary through WhatsApp. That was exactly what I was asked to do from the office of the Chief Secretary. I will submit a hard copy of my resignation letter in due course," Giri told the mediapersons later.
He informed about his decision to tender his resignation from the ministerial chair on Sunday only after the Trinamool Congress state president and the party Rajya Sabha member Subrata Bakshi asked him to quit.
Giri has fallen into the bad books of the Chief Minister as well as his party leadership after a video went viral on Saturday where he was seen abusing a woman officer of the state forest department. The officer accompanied by her team was attempting to free forest land of illegal encroachment at Tajpur Sea Resort in the East Midnapore district.
On Sunday, Bakshi had also directed Giri to tender an apology to the woman forest officers. On Monday after tendering his resignation, Giri maintained that under no circumstance he will tender any kind of apology to the woman forest officer.
"I am again saying that never in my political life have I apologized to any government servant. This time also I will not tender an apology to the forest officer concerned. If necessary, as a public representative I will tender my apology to the Chief Minister," Giri said.
Meanwhile, the state leadership of BJP has claimed that mere tendering of resignation is too timid a punishment for the offence committed by the minister. According to the BJP leaders, considering the crime he had committed by abusing and obstructing an on-duty woman officer he should be arrested.
Giri had been long known for his controversial statements which had posed immense embarrassment for his party leaders. Last year he was severely reprimanded by the Chief Minister for making derogatory comments concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu. Giri, however, then tendered a public apology following the pressure.
(With inputs from IANS)
