Will break his nose, eyes and face: West Bengal Minister challenges BJP's Dilip Ghosh for a fight

KOLKATA: West Bengal Minister Rabindranath Ghosh on Tuesday challenged Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh for a one-on-one brawl claiming that he will defeat the latter in a 'maximum of 3 minutes'. "If he is not willing to play with sticks, I am ready for wrestling too. Maximum of 3 minutes is required to defeat him. If he is ready for boxing, then I will also break his nose, eyes and face," West Bengal Minister Rabindranath Ghosh warned Ghosh.

The comment comes two days after Ghosh was allegedly seen carrying a sword on Ram Navami celebration on March 25 in Midnapore district in West Bengal. An FIR was lodged against the BJP state president under non-bailable sections in Midnapore's Kharagpore police station on Monday.

Defending his stand, Ghosh had said it was an age-old Hindu tradition to conduct "astra puja" (worship of weapons) on Ram Navami and that he was not aware of any ban on armed rallies. "Where is the government order banning arms in Ram Navami processions? Where is the circular?" he had asked.

The Navami celebrations turned bitter after clashes erupted in various parts of Bengal. At least 10 people were injured when the members of the Ram Navami Utsav Committee came to blows with the police personnel during a procession in the area. The committee, also comprising BJP and VHP activists, had organised the rally from the Kandi bus stand to the Radhaballav temple around 11.30 am.

"A clash ensued between the two sides as a few participants of the rally hurled stones at the police station and the vehicles parked outside. The police had to baton-charge the agitators," he said.

BJP leader Subhash Mondal, however, blamed the local members of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the ruckus. "Unidentified miscreants of the TMC joined the rally to create a ruckus. It was an attempt to spoil our image before the people here," he alleged.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had ordered the director general of police (DGP) to instruct all the superintendents of police (SPs) to take strong action against those who carried arms in the rallies. "The law will take its own course. I will not tolerate this," she had said on Monday.