The BJP and the CPI(M) separately went to the police against the Trinamool Congress over a morphed photo of CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
While the BJP filed an FIR in Kolkata on Sunday, Mr. Karat lodged a complaint with the police in Delhi.
On Saturday, addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien displayed a photograph which showed Mr. Singh offering sweets to Mr. Karat. He claimed it proved the CPI(M) was “hand in glove” with the BJP.
The photograph was even uploaded on the Trinamool’s website. But the party was left red-faced after it learnt that the photo was morphed.
The original photo is of Mr. Singh offering sweets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While the BJP demanded the arrest of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, party general secretary Subrata Bakshi and Mr. O’Brien, the CPI(M) demanded action against Mr. O’Brien for defaming Mr. Karat.
“He [Mr. O’Brien] had at a press conference held in Kolkata on April 23, 2016, displayed a picture of Rajnath Singh and myself [Mr. Karat]. In the picture, Mr. Singh is seen offering me a sweet… The photograph displayed was a morphed one...,” Mr. Karat’s complaint said.
Mr. O’Brien displayed the picture to make unfounded allegations and politically defame Mr. Karat, the complaint added. As the photo kicked up a controversy, the Trinamool issued a brief reaction. “Derek O’ Brien has apologised, I have spoken to him. I think the matter ends here,” Trinamool vice-president Mukul Roy told journalists. Mr. O’Brien admitted that the photograph was morphed and said it had been removed from the party website.
