TMC: BJP doesn’t believe in representation of minorities
Times of India | 18 July 2024
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress as well as other INDIA bloc parties in Bengal, CPM and Congress, criticised BJP and Suvendu Adhikari for the latter’s call to dissolve the party’s Minority Morcha and his statement that he “would not speak about” nationalist Muslims any more.
Trinamool’s former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh said: “Since in a democracy like India, Hindus form the majority of population and some communities like Muslims and Christians are minorities, all political parties try to keep a minority unit for overall balance and representation of everyone in the party.But I believe BJP doesn’t believe in the same. Also, with Adhikari claiming there is no nationalist Muslim, what about those who have lived their lives fulfilling their duties or those who are freedom fighters and their sacrifices?”
The leader of opposition had earlier in the day said there was “no need” for a Minority Morcha, saying they had raised the slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ for a long time but the time had come to say “jo hamare saath, hum unke saath (we are with those who support us)”.
“What the LOP said is in stark contrast to PM Narendra Modi’s slogan. We had always said ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ is a fake and bogus claim by BJP and today the same claim has been made from within the party as the LOP gave a stern order against the slogan. Bengal BJP is making a mockery of PM Modi’s own slogan. Now, BJP should decide what to do with him,” said Ghosh, speaking to reporters later in the afternoon.
After controversy over his statement, made at a state committee meeting held at Science City on Wednesday to discuss BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections and assembly bypolls, Adhikari held a press conference and said his statement was taken out of context and he had no disagreement with Modi’s slogan. “The LOP said he didn’t mean to say whatever he had said because he was censured and rebuked in the party and was asked to reach out to the media again and issue a clarification. But whatever has been done cannot be undone now,” said Ghosh. State Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy said Adhikari’s statement would help Trinamool. “Adhikari spoke like a Trinamool Congress worker today. His statement will directly help TMC, which banks on minority votes,” said Roy.
CPM’s Sujan Chakraborty said: “I believe Bengal BJP has lost faith in the national leadership’s plan and agenda and is saying this out of frustration and depression.”