A war of words has erupted between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal and the BJP over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's comments during a mega rally to commemorate 'Martyr's Day' in Kolkata.
At the rally, Mamata not only offered shelter to those displaced by the protests and the violence in neighbouring Bangladesh, but also allegedly declared that she was not a 'kafir', an Arabic term in Islam which refers to disbelievers.
Sharing a video of Mamata's alleged comments, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took strong exception to what he saw as promoting "abuse against non-Muslims".
"Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a public rally today, declares, 'She is not a Kafir'. She equates Kafirs to being 'darpok' or cowards," Malviya wrote on X.
"With Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim by her side, who recently gave an open call to convert everyone to Islam, Mamata Banerjee unabashedly endorses the abuse against non-Muslims…," the BJP leader charged.
"The Trinamool Congress is hell bent on destroying West Bengal’s social fabric. Islamisation of Bengal and forced demographic change is alarming, to say the least," Malviya added.
Malviya on Sunday also attacked the Bengal CM for her offer to provide shelter to those displaced from Bangladesh.
"Who did give Mamata Banerjee the authority to welcome anyone in India? Immigration and citizenship are exclusively in the Centre’s domain. The States have no locus standi,” the BJP IT cell head wrote.
“This is part of I.N.D.I. alliance’s evil plan to settle illegal Bangladeshis from Bengal to Jharkhand so that they can win elections,” he alleged.
Published 21 July 2024, 17:31 IST