FIR against Mithun Chakraborty for 'provocative' speech

Bidhannagar Police on Wednesday lodged an FIR against actor-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mithun Chakraborty for allegedly delivering a provocative speech during a party programme in North 24 Parganas district last month.

According to police sources, the complaint against Chakraborty pertains to a speech he made during a BJP programme at the EZCC in Salt Lake area on October 27, based on which police registered an FIR at Bidhannagar South police station.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the programme, which was organised to kick off the West Bengal leg of the BJP's membership drive.

"We have started an investigation into the case," said a senior officer of Bidhannagar police.

Although Chakraborty was unavailable for comment, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the FIR a result of "vendetta politics."

"There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool," he said.

Chakraborty, who received India's highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, had asserted on October 27 that the "masnad" (throne) of West Bengal would belong to the BJP after the 2026 assembly elections, promising to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal.

While speaking at the programme at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Chakraborty said, "In 2026, the masnad will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal."

In an apparent reference to TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's communal remarks aimed at BJP workers during the Lok Sabha elections, Chakraborty cautioned that no one should attempt to intimidate saffron party voters into abstaining from voting in the next Assembly elections.

He called upon the booth-level workers of his party to resist any such attempts.