Kharagpur (West Bengal) [India], July 17 : BJP Leader Dilip Ghosh has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent protest, over the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking migrants in other states, and claimed that Mamata Banerjee wins elections in the State with the help of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
He said that an exercise like Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which is being carried out by the Election Commission in Bihar, should also be done before West Bengal heads into Assembly elections next year..
"People from Bangladesh are taking advantage of the welfare schemes of the Central Government in Bengal. Their names are there in the voter list, and these are the people who make Mamata Banerjee win every election. Their documents should be checked. Like Bihar, a similar exercise should be done in Bengal before the elections..." Ghosh told ANI.
Yesterday, Mamata Banerjee in a fierce attack on the BJP and governments led by the party, accused it of discrimination against Bengali-speaking citizens in the State. In a fiery speech, she alleged that people were being harassed based on language, identity, and political bias. She recalled the recent incidents and alleged that people from West Bengal were being harassed in states like Maharashtra and Assam.
Addressing a public rally in Kolkata yesterday, Banerjee said, "We respect all languages... We respect everyone who is an Indian citizen... But this does not mean that Bengalis have to face atrocities. We will not tolerate it. We will not let anyone harass Bengalis...".
Chief Minister Banerjee further said, "They removed 30.5 lakh voters in Bihar. This is how they won in Maharashtra and Delhi. They are planning the same for Bihar. They want to do the same in Bengal, but we will fight inch by inch..."
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar yesterday said that the Banerjee was engaging in petty politics and that the entire state of West Bengal, especially the Bengali Hindus, were upset with her.
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said, "... Mamata Banerjee has understood that she has no chance in 2026. The people of Bengal will vote for change and good governance... She is claiming that people of Bengal are being pushed back; this is false... Today's West Bengal is full of bombs and friction... BSF asked for land to secure the 540-km border, but you did not provide because you wanted to get the Rohingyas inside for your votebank... The Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus or Jains must live here together, but we will not give our rights to the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis... In 2026, the TMC government will be ousted...".
BJP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has also called for an exercise, similar to the one being undertaken in Bihar, to delete all Rohingya Muslims' names from the voter list in West Bengal.
"We marched here along with the BJP MLAs and BJP leaders. The exercise that is happening in Bihar should happen here as well. The names of lakhs of Rohingya Muslims are in the voter list here, they should be removed... This is not a question of Bengalis or the Bengali language. This is a question of national interest. Bengal has to be saved...". Adhikari said.