TMC asks Bengal jails minister Akhil Giri to resign

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday asked West Bengal Jails Minister Akhil Giri to resign and apologise to a woman officer of the state forest department following a controversy over video clips showing him threatening and verbally abusing her.Speaking to reporters at Kanthi in Purba Medinipur district, Giri said he will resign but won't apologise.Giri, who is the MLA of Ramnagar within which the area is situated, was flanked by locals when he was seen in videos threatening forest ranger Manisha Sahu, warning her of reducing her tenure after she and her team removed encroachments on forest department land near Tajpur beach.
"Following party instructions, state president Subrata Bakshi called Akhil Giri on Sunday afternoon, instructing him to apologise to the woman officer and submit his resignation immediately," TMC spokesperson Shantanu Sen said.Another TMC spokesperson Jaiprakash Majumdar emphasised that the party does not tolerate such behaviour from its members and acknowledged that Giri's outburst had somewhat tarnished the party's image. "We have learnt that he has decided to resign," he said.
Giri said he will continue to serve as an MLA even after resigning as a minister and will advocate for people in his constituency.He reiterated his criticism of forest officials, claiming they lacked compassion by removing small traders who sold goods to tourists near the beach town, which is close to the more popular seaside resort town of Digha.Giri also alleged that the officials had previously permitted the sheds in exchange for monetary considerations.