Kolkata/Asansol (West Bengal) [India], May 23 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government over recent demolition drives in West Bengal, saying that the "priority of this government is to run bulldozer."
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Ghosh criticised the ongoing anti-encroachment and demolition actions being carried out in several parts of the state.
"The priority of this government is to run bulldozers. Sometimes on street vendors, sometimes on statues. They demolished the statue of Comrade Lenin in North Bengal. Their priority is not food, clothing and shelter; their priority is the bulldozer, which is a symbol of negativity," Ghosh said.
His remarks came after the Steel Authority of India Limited-Indian Iron and Steel Company (SAIL-ISP) management launched an anti-encroachment drive near Barnpur station in Asansol, during which several party offices and club buildings, including the office of Ward 78 TMC councillor Ashok Rudra, were demolished.
Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, also criticised the demolition drives and alleged that thousands of people had been displaced.
"They have already ruined the small ferry operators. Bulldozers are being run over the Biswa Bangla Statue and other things. From Darjeeling to South Bengal, they are running bulldozers on ferry operators everywhere. TMC is raising its voice against this. Thousands of our workers have been evicted from their homes," Chattopadhyay said.
The criticism also follows the removal of the football-themed sculpture outside the Salt Lake Stadium, which had been designed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Earlier, TMC leaders staged a protest outside the West Bengal Legislative Assembly against the ongoing demolition drives and alleged forced eviction of hawkers under the newly formed BJP government.