Close on the heels of the Supreme Court censuring the MNS chief for his slighting remarks about the Biharis and north Indians, a sitting minister of the ruling CPM in West Bengal and leader of the minority community Abdur Rezzak Mollah donned the mantle of Raj Thackeray and targeted the Marwari community, forcing the party and the state government to press the alarm button and disown his comments.

It took both Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacherjee and CPM state unit secretary Biman Bose to mount additional efforts to assuage the hurt feelings of the Marwaris in the state as also Rajasthan from where angry reactions started pouring in after Mollah’s observation.

While addressing a function to mark the martyrdom of those who laid down their lives for the Bengali language, Mollah, the state land reforms minister, allegedly used a derogatory expression about the Marwari community on Thursday. And then, he went on to train his gun about the manner in which the Marwaris expand their business.
Mollah’s views brought about widespread resentment, especially in the wake of strong countrywide repercussions on statements by Raj Thackeray and subsequent acts of vandalism across Maharashtra.

Wave of protest

A wave of protest was seen in Rajasthan on Friday, with Yuva Morcha activists burning an effigy of Mollah in Jaipur. Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje described the minister’s remark as ‘most unfortunate’ and ‘against the spirit of the Constitution.’ Other political party leaders in Rajasthan also condemned Mollah’s ‘parochial comments’ on the Marwari community. Dinesh Bajaj, a Trinamool Congress legislator, who took strong exception to the land reforms minister’s observation, lodged an official protest, citing the latest observation of the Supreme Court in this regard.

The flurry of protests forced the CPM top leadership into a huddle. Very soon, the party as also the government began distancing themselves from Mr Mollah’s remarks. First came the soothing move from Bhattacherjee who called up the TMC MLA and expressed his regret over the statement.

The CM recalled and appreciated the Marwari Community’s efforts and contribution towards the progress of Bengal.