TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay claims he received death threat

NEW DELHI: Sudip Bandopadhyay, leader of Trinamool Congress in Parliament, on Tuesday claimed that he had received death threats, with the government assuring him that "every possible step" will be taken to ensure the safety of members of the House.

As the Lok Sabha resumed after lunch, Bandopadhyay raised the issue saying he had received SMSes of death threats yesterday.

"I received a message at 1:25 PM from an unknown number yesterday. It said that I will be killed and my body will taken to Kalighat in Kolkata. The nature of the language was also derogatory.

"I responded to the message and I again received two messages at 2:15 PM and 2:24 PM today. I raised this issue with our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following which she addressed a press conference. She has also advised me to put this on the record of the House," Bandopadhyay said.

He said while he was seriously ill some eight months back, there were cases of robbery at his house, following which he had shifted residence.

While he was speaking, his party colleagues demanded the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the House. "He is the leader of the party (TMC) and this is a serious matter," they said.

In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the Home Minister was away at the site in South West Delhi where a BSF plane crashed this morning.

The TMC leader "has faced with a similar problem in the past. I assure that the government will take every possible step for the safety of members and views this matter seriously," Rudy said.