'Bengali women are targeted in his songs': Babul Supriyo after Pawan Singh opts out of LS polls from Asansol

TMC's Babul Supriyo on Sunday reacted to Pawan Singh's candidature from the Asansol Lok Sabha seat by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Pawan Singh's name was announced on Saturday and a day later, he opted out of the race after some of his controversial songs targeting Bengali women were flagged by the TMC. 

"I have nothing against him or as an artist. But in the videos and movies, particularly of a person, Bengali women are targeted," Supriyo, who was once a BJP MP from Asansol, said. He said derogatory words have been used against Bangla women. "How can the BJP field such a person from Asansol." 

Supriyo, who resigned from the BJP in July 2021 after he was removed as minister, alleged that the saffron party was not sensitive about Bengal. Supriyo was elected twice as a BJP candidate from Asansol. 

Earlier today, Pawan Singh, in a tweet, said due to some reason he will not be able to contest the elections from Asansol. 

The TMC was quick to mock the BJP by saying it surrendered the seat even before the commencement of the election campaign. The ruling party in West Bengal alleged that many of his songs were crude and depicted women, including those from the state, in a vulgar way. 

TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee shared Singh's post on X and said, "The INDOMITABLE SPIRIT AND POWER OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL." 

TMC leader Santanu Sen alleged that the BJP speaks about women empowerment but they are anti-women in reality. "They are anti-women and anti-Bengali and that is why they had given nomination to him. But realising the people's anger, they were forced to back out," he said. 

Asansol has a sizeable migrant population and BJP had hoped that Singh may put up a tough fight against TMC's Shatrughan Sinha, the actor-politician who was in the saffron party for decades before walking out in 2019. 

The BJP, however, hit back at TMC, with Amit Malviya saying, "TMC leaders are a bunch of jokers who have suddenly found their voice after keeping quiet for 60 days. The women raped in Sandeshkhali were Bengali, who Mamata Banerjee called 'bohiragoto (outsiders)'. No one vilifies Bengali women more than her, as she continues to defend Sheikh Shajahan."