Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has triggered a controversy after claiming that her critics on local television channels are involved in pornography. Addressing a public rally at Galsi in Burdwan district on Thursday evening, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party chief lambasted the states private media that is largely critical of her government, sources said.

Speaking about the guests invited on TV news talk shows, she said that the recent string of rapes in the state are being discussed by people who claim to be social workers but are actually only running after of money.Some of them are even involved in pornography, she said, adding that these “broke channels whose future is uncertain” were “insulting the people and soul of Bengal”.

“Every evening, these people have juicy discussions about one or two incidents. They are insulting the mothers and daughters of Bengal day after day,” Banerjee said.”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.