NEW DELHI: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a scathing attack at leader of opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari for his remarks in the assembly. She accused the saffron party of using communal rhetoric to divert attention from economic and trade issues.
Speaking in the assembly, West Bengal CM condemned Adhikari’s statement about Muslim MLAs, saying, “Democracy is permanent, but the chair is not. Respect the chair. How can you think of throwing out Muslim MLAs? They (BJP) are targeting the Muslims because this is the Roza month, and they don’t like this. They are trying to distract the attention of the country from economic and trade collapse by making communal statements. I’m a Hindu, and I don’t need certification from the BJP.”
She urged the assembly to pass a resolution condemning Adhikari’s remarks and said, “The protection of Hindus is our responsibility, not only yours. This is the responsibility of this chair.”
The remarks come amid heightened political tensions in the state, with BJP and TMC leaders trading barbs over religious and governance issues.
On Tuesday, BJP leader Adhikari said, “Firstly, I will defeat Biman Bandhopadhyay (Speaker), then Mamata Banerjee. After that, those Muslim MLAs from TMC—when the BJP government comes—will be thrown out on this road.”
While protesting against the TMC government outside the assembly, Adhikari accused Banerjee of dividing society and being “anti-Hindu.” He said, “Mamata has divided society… On the day of the Ram Mandir inauguration, Mamata took out a march in Bengal… TMC is an anti-Hindu government. I will do whatever is necessary for Hindu interests. If one Suvendu dies, one crore Suvendus will rise. Remove Mamata… Remove Chor Mamata!”
The confrontation came after Banerjee’s decision to form a committee to investigate alleged irregularities in the state’s voter list.
She accused the BJP of adding fake voters to manipulate elections in Maharashtra and Delhi and claimed they were attempting the same in West Bengal.