Went to meet girl's family as minister: Babul Supriyo

Kolkata: Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who defied prohibitory orders and attempts by police to stop him from meeting the family of a dead girl at Jamuria, on Thursday said he went there as a minister and not for political reasons.

"I was not going there on a political rally. It was just my effort to reach out to the family that is going through crisis. There wasn't a single BJP flag," he told reporters at the sidelines of a programme here.

"I was just going to stand by the family. This is not politics. We didn't do any politics with the body of a girl," Supriyo said, adding he has instructed party workers to leave the family alone in their hour of grief. He also mocked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying her "attire keeps changing at every traffic signal."

"If she goes to a Christian programme she will dress accordingly, and differently for a Muslim programme. Is it fashion parade? Her attire changes according to religion (of the people who hold the programme)," he said.

A 14-year-old girl's body was found in an illegal coal mine at Jamuria near Asansol on Monday, three days after she went missing.

Babul Supriyo, who represents Asansol in Parliament, was stopped by police while entering Jamuria on Wednesday but he went ahead and met the bereaved family.