KOLKATA: Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh has been issued a word of caution by the party’s national leadership for his comment threatening to shoot and kill those involved in damaging public property in the same way as UP and Assam.
The office of the BJP’s national president Amit Shah contacted the party’s general secretary (organization) B.L. Santosh and asked him to communicate with Bengal in-charge Shiv Prakash to warn Ghosh.
A crack in the Bengal saffron camp was visible on Sunday, a day after Ghosh made the statement while addressing a rally in Nadia district.
Hitting out at Mamata Banerjee, he said, “Who do they think the public property that they are destroying belongs to? Their father? Public property belongs to taxpayers. You (Mamata) and your police did not take any action because they are your voters. In Uttar Pradesh and Assam, our government has shot these people dead like dogs. Once BJP comes to power in Bengal, such protesters will be bashed, shot and thrown behind bars.’’
Terming Ghosh’s comment as a figment of his imagination, Union minister Babul Supriyo described it “irresponsible’’ in a tweet. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta retweeted Supriyo’s post.
“Supriyo’s tweet and Dasgupta’s re-tweet could not be possible without a nod from the party’s high command. The selection process of our organisational heads are almost over and Ghosh’s name emerged as the party’s state president for the second consecutive term. But the recent comment by Ghosh has divided the party’s Bengal unit,” said a senior BJP leader.
Sources in the saffron camp said a section of BJP leaders demanded a post of acting president in Bengal.
“We need to portray a face as Bengal’s chief minister before crucial 2021 elections. Ghosh’s comment has created a panic among a section of people in the state. Demand for the acting president post in Bengal has been raised to censor Ghosh,’’ said another BJP leader.