A shocker from Mamata Banerjee. The West Bengal Chief Minister has said that guests on local television news channels critical of her are involved in pornography.Addressing a public rally at Galsi in Burdwan district on Thursday evening, the chief minister tore into local media that is critical of her. Talking about news television talk shows, she said incidents of rape are being discussed on TV by people who claim to be social workers but are actually only running after of money. Some of them are even involved in pornography."Every evening, these people have juicy discussions about one or two incidents (of rape). They are insulting the mothers and daughters of Bengal day after day...some broke channels ...whose future is uncertain...they are insulting the people of Bengal, the soul of Bengal," said Ms Banerjee."Children are getting to know about things they should not know about. Who are being called to the channels? Many of them are involved in pornography. They claim to be social workers but they are actually money workers," she added.Ms Banerjee's statement, inevitably, has triggered a storm of protests from almost every quarter, from politicians to political analysts and members of civil society.

Her statement has also come a day before some sections of civil society are to march on Kolkata's streets to protest a spate of rapes and murders in the state recently, general law and order breakdown and insecurity of women.Among those expected to take part in the procession are actor Soumitra Chatterjee, filmmaker Mrinal Sen, author-poet Shanko Ghosh and novelist Mahasweta Devi.