A mini Pakistan in Kolkata?

 

The remarks by a TMC candidate might certainly affect the fifth phase of West Bengal elections. Bobby Firhad Hakim, the Urban Development minister calls his constituency as a mini Pakistan. Speaking to a correspondent from Dawn, a daily from Pakistan, Firhad Hakim described his constituency of Kolkata as Mini Pakistan. Firhad Hakim might be mentioning about the Muslim majority in the place, but his nickname was not well received by the Indians. As the Dawn magazine mentioned name in the headlines, the opposition in West Bengal issued statements condemning the attitude of Hakim. Even the TMC had to distance itself from Hakim on this issue.

 

But Hakim doesn’t seem to be upset by the controversy. “I have not said anything about Pakistan. The journalist felt like it was her place… If the head of the government goes to Pakistan again and again, there’s no harm... But if a Muslim says so, then the reaction comes,” said Hakim to a television news channel. But its not new for Hakim to live amidst controversies. He was blamed to be responsible for the flyover collapse in Kolkata for being the urban development minister. He was also prominent on the tapes of Narada Sting operation which caught him drooling on bribes.