Asansol: Union minister of state for heavy industries and public enterprises Babul Supriyo apparently lost his temper on Tuesday and threatened a BJP worker standing in front of him with breaking his legs and giving him a wheelchair.

Supriyo was addressing a Centre-sponsored programme on distributing wheelchairs and hearing aids to physically-challenged persons here. The programme was being held at an auditorium where a large number of BJP leaders and workers were present.

The Asansol MP was delivering a speech when he threatened the BJP worker standing in front of him and apparently obstructing his vision.

" Aapko kya takleef hai? Aap yahan khare kyu hain? Aap jaiye side me khare ho jaiye varna main apka tang torke wheelchair de dunga (What is your problem? Why are you standing here? Go and stand on the side or else, I will break your legs and hand over a wheelchair to you)," Supriyo told the party worker.

The youth immediately moved to one side. He did not react or protest. Some people present at the spot also started laughing.

Supriyo said it was "nothing serious".

"This is not at all a serious matter. I just joked with the youth. It was not a threat or anything serious," Supriyo told this newspaper.

At the programme, Supriyo handed over wheelchairs and hearing aids to 43 beneficiaries.

Trinamul, however, criticised Supriyo. "Such arrogant behaviour is not expected from a minister. He was attending a programme to distribute aids to physically-challenged persons where he himself was threatening a person that he would break his legs," said Jitender Kumar Tiwari, Asansol mayor.