Senior BJP leader and MP Ravishankar Prasad on Wednesday slammed the Opposition parties – that are in process of uniting against the ruling BJP – for staying quiet on violence during West Bengal’s rural polls, and held Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee responsible for “shaming democracy in Bengal”.
Addressing media in Kolkata on Wednesday, Prasad questioned why the “clan-in-making” of the Opposition, that met in Patna, and is going to gather in Bangalore – though there’s no “vacancy in ‘24”, silent?
What has happened to these parties, he asked, as in Patna these parties had stated that the Narendra Modi-led government is undemocratic. To save the Constitution it was considered necessary for all the parties to come together, and Banerjee’s voice was the most outspoken, he added.
“I want to question Rahul Gandhi (Congress leader). Your workers are also being beaten. Why are you silent? Won’t you speak? Sitaram Yechuryji (CPI-M leader), now your workers are also being beaten. You are silent too. I am talking of the DMK, others. The CPI, CPI-M, Rahul Gandhi oppose the most. One is amazed to see their conspicuous silence,” Prasad said.
The convenor of the BJP’s fact-finding committee, that reached in Bengal on Wednesday, further queried if the killing of 45-48 people in independent India was not an issue. “It is a sickening sign of a shameful democracy,” he said.
Prasad observed a connection between the “silence”, and the alleged “opportunism” and “greed” of the Opposition. “Their conspicuous silence only demonstrates their rank-opportunism, selfish politics… for the sake of power they are gathering to go to any extent,” he stated.
Prasad, reminding Banerjee of her “evolution in the polity of Bengal, in the politics of India” said that she was a fighter who fought against the Left, and became a chief minister, defeating the misrule. “We also felt happy,” he said, adding that Banerjee’s politics has turned worse than that of the Left’s.
The court has to intervene in state’s elections, and it’s the strictness of the court that made it possible for the BJP’s 10,000 candidates to emerge as winners, Prasad said. Less time was offered for filing of nominations, he added.
Comparing Bengal’s elections with that of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh. He said that he had been told that a killing took place even during the day of counting of votes, beating took place, and winner-candidates were asked to join the ruling party, if they were to have the certificates.
“Mamataji, you have shamed the democracy in Bengal…I respect Mamataji as a political fighter…I must tell you very honestly, (though) we strongly oppose her,” he said, adding that while Banerjee “castigates” the prime minister, and his party, speaks on issues, but has commented on a social media platform, instead of talking directly to the press. “Why are you not in a position to face the media, and share your happiness on this victory…,” he said.
The BJP’s fact-finding committee, after field visits, will submit a report to party’s national president, JP Nadda. On Wednesday, to a spot in North 24 Parganas district, to another place in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, and then to north Bengal, the day after, Prasad said.
Hoping that the BJP team will be allowed to travel in the state, Prasad said: “Your democratic credentials are further on test. We are senior members of Parliament. We have a right to visit these areas to see for ourselves. And, we hope and expect that we will be allowed to visit,” he said.
“This entire election has been a shameful one. But we want to assure the people of Bengal…BJP will fight. BJP will avenge this insult to democracy in Bengal,” he said.
Prasad said that the party doesn’t have trust in the state election commission. “There is enough suspicious circumstances existing to conclusively show that state election commission was working under pressure,” he said.
Responding to a question on a BJP leader’s demand of imposing Article 355 of the Constitution, Prasad said that with the governor’s report, the central government may act, whichever way (it considers appropriate), following a discussion, but the demand for the same is justifiable.
Mamata calls fact-finding teams are “provocation committees”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the absence of fact-finding committees, elsewhere – when elections didn't take place on a large number of seats in Tripura and in Uttar Pradesh, in violence-hit Manipur, when (allegedly) people died in Assam around the “NRC” issue. In two years, several central “commissions” have visited the state, on the contrary, including fact-finding teams. “That’s a BJP protection committee, to protect the BJP… further a provocation committee. I don’t call it a fact-finding committee,” she said.