West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Political controversy erupted in West Bengal on Thursday after a video showing Trinamool Congress leader Babul Supriyo losing his temper at a journalist during the filing of nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election went viral on social media. The incident took place inside the West Bengal Legislative Assembly premises, where five candidates from the state submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, four of whom belong to the All India Trinamool Congress.

Among the candidates was Babul Supriyo, whose interaction with members of the media soon turned tense after a question was raised regarding his political position within the party. As he arrived at the Assembly to submit his nomination papers, a journalist asked him about an earlier statement in which he had reportedly said that he would enter the “team” of the Trinamool Congress. The reporter asked whether he had failed to become part of the party’s “playing eleven,” a phrase often used metaphorically in politics to refer to core leadership positions.

The question appeared to irritate Supriyo immediately. Reacting sharply, he asked why such a question was being raised and what its intention was. The journalist then followed up by referring to Supriyo’s shift from being a state minister to now contesting the Rajya Sabha election, asking whether that indicated he was no longer part of the party’s main political lineup. The remark further aggravated the Trinamool leader, who responded firmly that such questions should not be asked and declared that he would not respond to them.

The exchange quickly escalated as Supriyo moved toward the journalists and cameramen present at the scene. In the now-viral video circulating widely online, he is seen demanding that the footage recorded during the interaction be deleted immediately. When the media personnel refused to comply, he reportedly warned them that the video could not be broadcast without his permission. He also asserted that journalists did not have the right to ask him any question they wished and insisted that even airing his response would require his consent.

The heated confrontation created a tense situation within the Assembly premises, drawing attention from several political leaders and officials present at the venue. According to eyewitnesses, the situation was eventually brought under control after intervention by West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas, who stepped in and helped calm the atmosphere.

The viral video has triggered a political debate across social media platforms, with critics questioning Supriyo’s reaction to the journalist’s query while supporters argue that the question itself was provocative. The incident has once again highlighted the often strained relationship between politicians and the media during politically sensitive events such as Rajya Sabha elections.

Discussions around the video continue online and in political circles, the episode has added an unexpected layer of controversy to what was otherwise expected to be a routine procedural step in the Rajya Sabha election process in West Bengal.