Nandigram: Countering the BJP’s charge that “only Muslims vote for Mamata”, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Subrata Bakshi said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may get almost all the Muslim votes in the state, but support from Hindus isn’t weak either.
“Mamata Banerjee will crack through such communal conspiracies and come out stronger. This is not only Bengal’s election, this will set the right tone for a secular country,” said the Rajya Sabha MP in an exclusive interview to ThePrint.
Bakshi further said Trinamool is “cautious” to not fall into any “traps” laid by the BJP, which they would “communalise” further “for their political gains”.
“Calling names in an attempt to polarise the populace on communal lines is exactly what Bharatiya Janata Party is doing here. These are provocations. They are laying traps for others to step into it, but Trinamool is cautious. If there is any law and order problem, BJP will communalise it further for their political gains,” said Bakshi, one of Mamata’s trusted aides.
Bakshi also lashed out at the Election Commission (EC) calling it “toothless” and said the party had written scores of letters to the poll body informing them about the law and order situation in Bengal, but in vain.
Known as one of the most disciplined leaders in the party, Bakshi is camping in Nandigram — from where Banerjee is contesting — for over a week now to supervise the election arrangements.
Banerjee will reach Nandigram on 28 March for a 48-hour campaign. Nandigram will vote on 1 April.
Attacking his former colleague, Suvendu Adhikari, now in BJP, Bakshi said he “has become one of those who needs to prove his Hindutva to BJP”.
“People who convert from Hindu to Islam, generally eat more beef to prove their religious loyalty. Suvendu is doing the same. But Didi (Mamata) has always been like that for the past 20 years. She chants mantras of all religions,” said Bakshi commenting on Banerjee’s temple visits and Chandi Path during her campaign in Nandigram earlier this month.
Also read: Why Didi Mamata has become daughter of Bengal
‘Didi is a symbolic image of Indian constitution’
Referring to the statistics of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Bakshi said, “In the 2019 general elections, Trinamool got 43.6 per cent votes.
“Bengal has 30 per cent Muslim population of which around 25 per cent votes were polled. They voted for us. This means we also got around 19 per cent Hindu votes. The BJP is trying to project that Mamata Banerjee only has Muslim support. They are misleading people,” he added.
Adding that the data reflects Banerjee’s secular values, he said, “Didi is a symbolic image of Indian Constitution.”
“She wanted to make minorities safe and secure. She always worked for inclusivity, but BJP calls it appeasement. They will miserably fail in Bengal. And once the election ends and they leave, everything will be fine again. We are optimistic,” Bakshi added.
EC working to favour BJP: Bakshi
Targeting the EC, Bakshi said the poll body is “twisting” orders in favour of the BJP.
A few days ago, the BJP did not have polling agents to cover all the booths in Nandigram, Bakshi said, adding, “So two days ago, the ECI issued an order stating a resident of an assembly constituency can be the polling agent at any booth (in that constituency).
“Earlier, it was specially meant for the residents of that booth area only. Anybody who is not a resident of the booth, cannot be a polling agency.
“But the election commission made it easier for the BJP. Now, they can mobilise people from elsewhere. We are seeing multiple such orders being twisted or tweaked for BJP’s advantage,” he alleged.
Bakshi also said the BJP is making 43 families of Nandigram suffer now as cases related to the 2007 land movement were reopened.
“Our members who led the Nandigram land movement from the front have suddenly been dragged into the 14-year-old cases,” he said.
“Mamata Banerjee had withdrawn cases not only against Singur leaders, but also against Nandigram leaders. Two months before the election, the BJP filed a PIL in the high court seeking re-opening of the old cases. And the HC ruled in their favour. So all our leaders, including Didi’s election agents, are on the run. Arrest warrants were issued and raids are going on. This is the extent of the conspiracy. Nandigram will never forgive them,” Bakshi added.
(Edited by Debalina Dey)
Also read: In West Bengal, an injured Mamata Banerjee is more lethal for BJP. Over to Modi
Mamatha Begum got only 19% Hindu votes but got 90% Muslims votes , this proves how secular she is !! Shane on these 19% Hindus voting her , Hindus are digging their own grave by voting to these so called Secular parties, which are truly Muslim appeasement parties.
Bangladeshi infiltration was started by CPM and TMC continued the tradition, all in the name if vote bank politics.
When hindus hear “secualirsm” they hear “minority appeasement”
Well, to reassure that Bengal will get a truly secular government under Mumtaz Begum, let her government release all the Hindu temples from Government Control. A secular government has no business managing and controlling temples.