NEW DELHI: Tollywood actress-turned-Trinamool Congress candidate from Krishnanagar North Assembly constituency, Koushani Mukherjee, courted controversy after a video with her purported comment "Please think before you cast votes, you have mother, sister at home" went viral on the internet. The video in question was shared on Twitter by Ritesh Tiwari, vice-president of the BJP's West Bengal unit.
Ritesh Tiwari cited the video to suggest that Trinamool candidate Koushani Mukherjee was openly threatening voters of BJP. "TMC leaders have always used rape threats to intimidate the opposition," Ritesh Tiwari said in his tweet. "This time no one is scared!" he added.
_________ __________ _ ________ ______ ___ __ ______ ______@AITCofficial candidate from Krishnanagar North, Koushani Mukherjee is openly giving threats to BJP Voters.
TMC leaders have always used rape threats to intimidate the opposition.
This time no one is scared!#EbarBJP pic.twitter.com/dkeAWtkBiD
— Ritesh Tiwari (@IamRiteshTiwari) April 2, 2021
Koushani, who had joined Trinamool Congress two months ago and is in the fray in Krishnagar seat claimed that a part of her comment was taken out of context and put in the video by BJP's IT cell to give it a different meaning. The actress-politician went Live on Facebook to give a clarification of the controversial video.
"I had sought to project the fact that Bengal is the safest state for women, unlike BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh where women were raped in Hathras and their parents were shot at for protesting. The BJP IT cell edited the footage for cheap politics," she said in a statement, according to the PTI.
Koushani also posted a video of what she claimed was her original comment on her Facebook page in which she is seen walking in her constituency canvassing for votes and telling voters "Think twice before voting for BJP, you have your mother and sisters at home".
She is also seen saying "In Didi's Bengal women are safe. Don't vote for BJP if you don't want Bengal to turn into another Hathras in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh."
Actor-turned BJP leader Rupa Bhattacharya hit out at Koushani in a post saying "The utterances of the so called actress turned politicians like you make our heads hang in shame."
"An actress should have a refined taste ... If you think that by making such an ugly comment you will endear yourself to Trinamool Congress workers, rest assured they will hate your hypocrisy from the bottom of their heart," Bhattacharya said.
Trinamool Congress minister Sashi Panja said part of Koushani's comments were kept in the edited video but not the entire footage.
Meanwhile, the voting in 60 assembly seats have taken place in West Bengal. The remaining seats in the state will go to polling in next six phases.
