KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari’s comment that if the BJP comes to power, they will throw out Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs.
Mamata accused the BJP of importing fake Hinduism and creating divisions along communal lines.
Reacting to Adhikari's statement that minority MLAs from the TMC would be thrown out on the streets if the BJP comes to power, Mamata said that the BJP is trying to divide the country, adding, "We will not accept this."
The Chief Minister also took a swipe at the NDA government’s claim of stability at the Centre, saying, "They are showing that they are stable by running the government with two parties, but in reality, they are completely unstable."
Regarding the BJP’s political maneuvers, she said, "They only work with wrong agencies. One big boss goes to another and tells them whom to get arrested by ED and CBI." She emphasised that the Assembly belongs to everyone, adding, "Bengal was once the capital of India. Don’t disrespect this India. Don’t try to divide the country. We will not accept this."
Following Adhikari’s remarks, the BJP MLAs started causing a ruckus inside the Assembly, alleging that Hindus were being attacked in the state.
Despite the Speaker’s intervention, BJP members continued to shout slogans. Amid the heated exchange, Mamata said, "This is a country of courtesy. Humanity is the greatest thing in people’s lives." She also conveyed that any attempt to divide the country would not be tolerated.
BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh retaliated, saying, "You said that nothing can be sacrificed for the truth. So will you admit that you were involved in the destruction of the Assembly, even though you weren’t a member of it?"
He further added, "One of your party MLAs said, 'We are 70, you are 30. We will cut you and throw you into the waters of the Bhagirathi.' What did you do then?"
Mamata responded to the BJP’s allegations, saying, "I myself told Firhad Hakim that such things cannot be said.
We have also taken action against the statements of Madan Mitra and Humayun Kabir."
She clarified that the Trinamool Congress is a disciplined party, and 90 percent of the BJP's allegations are false. "This religion of yours only means killing, chopping, and dismembering people," she added.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign trips, Mamata said, "When our Prime Minister goes to Saudi Arabia, she does not go to Iraq or Iran."
In response to allegations against the BJP for not fielding Muslim candidates in state assembly elections, she said, "Why don’t you allot tickets to Muslims? I allotted 79 percent of tickets for Hindus, and you didn’t say anything then."
Finally, speaking about the geographical location of West Bengal, Mamata said, "Bengal is on the border with Bangladesh. You can’t run Manipur, where you are struggling. And you hope to govern Bengal?"