BJP MLA says ‘criminals produced in madrassas’, Trinamool hits back
Times of India | 7 February 2026
Kolkata: A remark on madrassas and criminality by BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul in the Bengal assembly on Friday sparked a war of words, with Trinamool MLAs hitting back.
Speaking on the state's vote-on-account budget, tabled on Thursday, Asansol (South) MLA said :"State govt has allocated Rs 5,713 crore for madrassa education and development of minorities. Can they show how many doctors, engineers or bureaucrats, and how many criminals, these madrassas have produced so far?"
Reacting immediately, TMC senior and minister Firhad Hakim stood up, schooling Paul on the contribution of the minority community in the freedom struggle. "Do you mean to say that Kazi Nazrul Islam and APJ Abul Kalam were criminals? Is that a statement from a member of a civilised society?" Hakim questioned, demanding an apology from Paul.
Speaker Biman Banerjee intervened, asked Paul to withdraw her statement, and requested her not to use any word that would hurt the sentiments of a community.
Trying to defend her statement, Paul said she did not question the contribution of the minority community, and added that Trinamool had put guns and bombs in the hands of madrassa students while children from the minority community were deprived of quality education.
Hakim stopped her again and said, "Stop equating every Muslim with criminals. This country is equally ours. That mindset is shameful." Other MLAs in the treasury bench, including Javed Khan, Siddiqullah Chowdhury and Aroop Biswas, asked Paul to withdraw the statement. Parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay demanded exemplary punishment for Paul.
Intervening, Banerjee said Paul's statement would be expunged from the House records. "She shouldn't have made such a comment inside the House. I asked her to withdraw her statement. She didn't withdraw it. Chattopadhyay has lodged a complaint with me and it was discussed. I condemned the statement," Banerjee said. "We must remind honourable members who took oath under the Constitution not to make any statement which will hurt the sentiments of the people. The assembly represents pluralistic values and principles and is not toxic, divisive and prejudiced to any religion," he added amid persistent demands by the treasury bench to take strong action against Paul.
Meanwhile, even as TMC MLAs were protesting, leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari started sloganeering: "Hindu-Hindu bhai bhai". A heated exchange of words ensued.
Speaking to reporters outside the House, Paul said she harboured no malice against minority community members and had only tried to draw the attention of the govt towards ground realities in the state. "I have nothing against Muslims. Mr Hakim should explain why jihadis and anti-nationals are being sheltered in many madrassas across the state. It is time for the truth to come out," she said.