Targeting the 49 personalities who wrote to Prime Minister Modi regarding the rising numbers of hate-crimes, union minister Babul Supriyo asked how many of them wrote to Mamata Banerjee over human rights violations in the state, reports ANI.

“Would like to ask 49 celebrities as to why are they selective in seeing and hearing things. Mob lynching is surely a grave offence, but how many of you have written to Mamata Banerjee about gross violations of human rights she has committed against BJP supporters? Why this bias?” said Supriyo in an open letter.

Supriyo further asked the signatories why many of them who were residents of the state itself never raised their voice against the murder of democracy by the Trinamool Congress (TMC). “Are you scared of Mamata’s goons attacking you or isolating you in your respective fields of art?” he said.

Supriyo accused the signatories of ignoring the brutal killings of human beings simply because they differ from their political ideologies. “It's a shame that you choose to expose your bias out in the open instead of probably creating an APOLITICAL, YES APOLITICAL Platform where you can help or stand by victims of all forms, lynching included?" he added.

The BJP minister further exhorted the signatories to come join his rally in Asansol. “I just fight for my voters against TMC atrocities? That are just voters and do not belong to any party,” he said.

On 23 July, 49 celebrities wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Modi highlighting the issue of 'Jai Shri Ram' becoming a "provocative war-cry" in the present day. The letter carried the signatures of among others Anurag Kashyap, Mani Ratnam, and Shyam Benegal.