Kolkata, February 22 – Actor and singer turned politician and West Bengal Minister, Supriyo Babulal, popularly known as Babul Supriyo, echoed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in strongly criticizing the "shirtless protest" by Youth Congress workers at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
Supriyo, a former two-time BJP Member of Parliament and also a former Union Minister of State, resigned from the BJP and immediately joined the Trinamool Congress after the results for the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections were announced.
Later, he was elected as a Trinamool Congress legislator in a by-election and was appointed as the West Bengal Minister of Information Technology and Electronics.
Now, his social media post criticizing the "shirtless protests" by the Youth Congress workers at the AI summit has raised eyebrows in political circles, especially since the Trinamool Congress leadership had maintained a strategic silence on the issue.
"The shirtless protest by members of the Indian Youth Congress at the AI Summit reflects poor judgment. At a forum attended by international leaders and global business figures, such conduct sends the wrong message about our national priorities," Supriyo said in his social media post.
According to him, while democracy guarantees the right to protest, it also demands responsibility. "When representing India before the world, partisan theatrics must give way to maturity and restraint," Supriyo added.
Political differences can be fought relentlessly, but never at the expense of the nation's honour and dignity, he said.
Trinamool Congress leaders have so far remained silent on Supriyo's observations. However, party sources close to him had claimed that Supriyo's observations were beyond his current political identity since he himself is the state Information Technology and Electronics Minister.
"The summit at which the 'shirtless protests' were conducted in the national capital has links with the state department that he is heading. So naturally, as the minister of that department, such an observation on his part is natural," said a Trinamool Congress leader close to Supriyo, who did not wish to be named.
