BJP leaders want to decides our food habits: Abhishek
The Statesman | 17 April 2026
Coming down heavily on the BJP, Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamul Congress national general secretary said the saffron party leaders are going to people requesting them to vote for them but none of them could be seen during Covid when people did not know what to do.
“The leaders are seen even cleaning the houses and taking fish in their campaign just to give the message that they are not against non-vegetarian food, but the people of Bengal know it well that none of them could be seen after 4 May when the election results will be out,” he said while addressing a rally at Daulatpur Yuba Sangha ground in Bishnupur this evening.
Bishnupur is under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat. The seat had given 71,000 lead to Mr Banerjee in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Dilip Mondol is the Trinamul Congress candidate from the seat.
Mr Banerjee said the BJP has said it would give Rs 3,000 to the women if voted to power. “Ask the leaders when they come to request you to cast a vote for the BJP, why the BJP has not cleared Rs 2 lakh crore due to the state government. They make false promises before the election and forget everything after it is over. They only tell lies. Do not trust them and do not fall into their trap.”
Mr Banerjee said the people of Diamond Harbour had helped him to win the Lok Sabha election in 2024 by 7.11 lakh votes. He said: “22,000 poor people living in Bishnupur have received money to set up their pucca houses. The state government has taken a pledge to set up pucca houses for all the poor people. Another 25,000 youths have received Yuba Sathi,” he said, adding, “I will quit politics if the BJP can show that they have given one paisa for rural houses and roads between 2021 and 2025.”
Mr Banerjee said: “BJP lets loose one religion against the other and we believe in work and not religion. Religion is private and our only religion is humanity.”
He said the Sebaashray camps held in the areas under Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat have helped the people immensely. “Taking cues from its success, the state government is going to introduce Duare Swasthya.”
Criticising the BJP, he said: “The BJP leaders are so arrogant that they want to decide our food habits and dress. Now they are seen doing a campaign holding fish, rest assured we will ensure that they sit and sell meat and fish after the poll results are out.”
Mr Banerjee took part in a road show at Budge Budge in support of party’s veteran candidate Ashok Deb.