Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 11 : All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) on Friday criticised the "calculated act of communal provocation" of BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Legislative Asssembly, Suvendu Adhikari after he urged people in the State not to visit areas with "Muslim majority."
Adhikari's remarks came after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and urged people in the State to visit the union territory, in a push to revive terrorism, which saw a significant decrease after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
The West Bengal LoP is now facing political backlash from the ruling AITC, which has termed his statement a "disgraceful, calculated act of communal provocation."
In a social media post on X, the official handle of AITC wrote, "Yesterday, Smt. @MamataOfficial met CM @OmarAbdullah and urged people to visit Jammu & Kashmir. But @BJP4India leaders like @SuvenduWB are openly discouraging people from visiting J&K."
"The terrorists attacked Pahalgam to paralyse Kashmir's economy, and Suvendu is handing them exactly what they wanted. It is a disgraceful, calculated act of communal provocation. This is the very same BJP that wants 'secular' erased from the Constitution. Such statements have no place in a democratic country. We will not let BJP burn bridges between Indians. Not in Kashmir. Not in Bengal. Not anywhere," the post added.
https://x.com/AITCofficial/status/1943539661621903568
Earlier, the West Bengal LoP had appealed to the people of the state not to visit places where Muslims are in the majority.
"Don't go to the places where Muslims are in majority. If you want to go to Kashmir, go to Jammu. Don't go... They (terrorists) killed people asking their religion. If you want to go, go to Himachal, we have Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, go to Odisha, whole country... I want to tell Bengali people don't go to the places where Muslims are in majority. Give priority to your life (Jaan pehle). Save your children, sister, mother," Adhikari had stated.