BJP leader Amit Malviya accuses Mamata Banerjee of discriminating against Hindus in West Bengal
Apr 15, 2024
New Delhi [India], April 15 : BJP leader Amit Malviya on Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of reducing Hindus to second-grade citizens in her state.
His remarks come in the wake of Banerjee's controversial statement at a public rally in West Bengal, where she allegedly stated that "If you see them (BJP) sloganeering on (April) 17, it is their (BJP's) day of riot."
Notably, Ram Navami, which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, is celebrated on April 17.
https://x.com/amitmalviya/status/1779817439246840039
"In a brazenly communal statement, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee alludes to Hindus as rioters. In a public meeting at Coochbehar, she appeals to the minorities to keep 'calm' (on 17th Apr), calls Ram Navami, the day billions of Hindus around the world pray to Bhagwan Ram, as the day of organizing riots... She further adds, even if "they" abuse you, pray to Allah to oust "them" from Bengal," Malviya said in a post on X.
"Who are these 'them' that Mamata Banerjee wants the minorities to send out of Bengal? The Bengali Hindus? Where will they go? West Bengal was created as a homeland for Hindu Bengalis. Shame on the Bengal CM for splitting Bengal into 'us' vs 'them' and reducing Hindus to second-grade citizens," he added in the post.
Polling in the 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal will be held on April 19, April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4.
In most of the constituencies in the state, the main fight is between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the principal opposition in the state, the BJP.
Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4.
However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank.
