Kolkata, Feb 14 (PTI) Asserting that the BJP is not against Muslims, party’s West Bengal unit president Samik Bhattacharya on Saturday accused the ruling TMC of using the community as a vote bank without ensuring their economic development.
Addressing members of the party’s Minority Morcha here, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP claimed that because of lack of economic development, a section of Muslim youths had taken the path of violence.
“BJP will ensure that misguided members of the minority community who have taken to arms and bombs will instead wield pens and pencils and hone their creative skills. We will bring them to the mainstream,” he said.
“All the recent incidents of violence in the state involving a section of the community were the handiwork of a miniscule section sheltered from across the border by the ruling party in state. Once we come to power, BJP will never let that happen,” he said.
Bhattacharya asked members of the minority community to compare the economic condition of Muslims in West Bengal with that in NDA-ruled states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“There have been no major violent attacks and killings of Muslims in BJP-ruled states in the last 10 years, unlike in Bengal where the ruling TMC did not even spare members of minority communities while attacking opposition party workers,” he alleged.
Referring to incidents in Nadia and Sandeshkhali, he accused the TMC of failing to protect minorities and opposition workers.
“Remember the little girl in Nadia district who was killed as her family did not support the ruling party. Remember the atrocities against women in Sandeshkhali by TMC goons. Remember how many BJP workers were killed in Bengal since the 2021 Assembly poll results only because they did not toe the TMC’s party line,” he alleged.
“Compare how many killings and rapes took place in West Bengal. Have you forgotten Bogtui in Birbhum district? If such incidents had taken place in BJP-ruled states, the reaction would have been different. Yet the TMC claims to support minorities,” he said.
Bhattacharya also alleged that the TMC was aiding and abetting Bangladeshi infiltrators and providing them with valid documents fraudulently.
He claimed that this had led to the pushback of suspected Bangladeshis in different parts of the country and caused difficulties for genuine Bengali-speaking migrant workers from West Bengal. PTI SUS MNB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.