New Delhi: BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Saturday launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that she has transformed ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal) into ‘Bhay Bangla’ (Bengal of fear). He also accused her of indulging in what he described as divisive appeasement politics.
He further said that the “TMC stands for ‘Tushtikaran’ (appeasement), Mafia, and Crime by infiltrators”.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Patra said Bengal holds a special place in India’s civilisational and national history; however, he said that it was with “great sadness” that he was compelled to comment on the present situation in the state.
According to him, governance in Bengal under Mamata Banerjee has taken a “troubling turn”. “You may recall, the British attempted to split Bengal as part of their policy of appeasement,” he said.
Patra went on to claim that it would not be politically incorrect to say that Mamata Banerjee is willing to use appeasement politics to divide people. “One is forced to think now, ‘Is Bengal not a part of India?'” he questioned.
The BJP leader said he would present facts and video evidence to highlight what he termed as shocking developments in the state. Referring to the ongoing SIR process, he said it is being conducted systematically across several states and had also taken place in 2003 with discussions in Parliament.
“SIR is also happening in Bengal. How Mamata Banerjee is unconstitutionally trying and resorting to violence to stop the SIR process in Bengal, I will present to you what we have observed,” he said.
Patra alleged that booth-level officers, known as BLOs, are not safe even inside election offices.
“So much pressure is being put on them that they are being pushed towards suicide. The office, including the Block Development Officer and their staff, is being attacked as if it were enemy territory,” he claimed.
Citing a specific incident, Patra said that in Farakka in Murshidabad district, a BLO office was attacked in the presence of Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam.
Quoting the MLA, he said, “Manirul Islam openly said, ‘Yahan Ram se paper nahi maanga jaata, Rahim ka paper hi check kiya jaata hai’.”
“I want to tell Mamata Banerjee that this is not the story of Ram-Rahim but of Rohingyas. She wants to save the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis so that she can win the elections through their votes. However, we want to make it clear that you will never be able to win by dividing India, and India will not sit silent,” Patra added.
He further alleged that even after an FIR was registered in the matter, the name of the Trinamool MLA was not included, raising questions over the functioning of the Mamata Banerjee-led government.
Reiterating the BJP’s slogan ‘Ek hain to safe hain’, Patra said unity was essential to face the present challenges. “If everyone is united, only then can we face this fight together,” he said.
Patra also referred to ongoing violence in Murshidabad, claiming that NH-12 has been blocked and railway services disrupted.
“Is this not part of India? Are people not allowed to travel on NH-12? Trains are being set on fire, and Mamata Banerjee is justifying it, claiming it is the dissatisfaction of minorities,” he alleged.
He added that when Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee is questioned, “he says, ‘If names are cut, protests will happen’.”
The BJP spokesperson also mentioned an alleged attack on a journalist, Soma Maity, in Murshidabad while she was covering protests in Beldanga. He claimed that her cameraman was also beaten up in the presence of the police and called upon media professionals to unite against such incidents.
Referring to the suicide of BLO Ashok Das, Patra alleged that he was under pressure from the Chief Minister and a local leader, Raju Biswas.
“He was told that if any name of the infiltrators is removed, then they will attack his family,” Patra claimed. Ashok Das, a resident of Ahalya Nagar in Mukundapur, was found hanging from the ceiling of his room on Thursday.
“When repeated threats were given, the person, Ashok Das, committed suicide,” Patra said. Recalling a purported audio and phone call, he added, “I was just watching a video and listening to it, a phone call from Ashok Das’s wife, who was crying bitterly to someone, saying, ‘My husband died by hanging from the ceiling fan; he has committed suicide. What should I do now? I’m filing an FIR against the TMC’.”
Patra said the pain in her voice had turned into a democratic resolve. “Mamata Banerjee’s efforts have now led to Bengal, what was once called ‘Sonar Bangla’, being turned into ‘Bhay Bangla’. Politics is spilling blood in Bengal,” he alleged.
(IANS)
