Synopsis
“West Bengal has 30% minority population. After 75 years of Independence, when the country is celebrating ‘Amritmahotsav’, what has the minority community received?” said the BJP’s national vice president Dilip Ghosh. “If 30% of the population is deprived and they don’t come to the mainstream, how will the state of West Bengal progress?”
The BJP is seeking to woo the Muslim community ahead of the Panchayat polls and 2024 Lok Sabha election, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged workers at the party’s national executive meeting to reach out to all sections of society, including marginalised communities and minorities.
“West Bengal has 30% minority population. After 75 years of Independence, when the country is celebrating ‘Amritmahotsav’, what has the minority community received?” said the BJP’s national vice president Dilip Ghosh. “If 30% of the population is deprived and they don’t come to the mainstream, how will the state of West Bengal progress?”
Ghosh further said, “For the development of the poor, Modi has introduced several schemes, out of which minority communities are getting so many benefits. The minority community will face the brunt if there is loot in PM Awas Yojana. They have been deprived of benefits as it has not reached them due to (chief minister) Mamata Banerjee.”
The BJP’s state leaders said the Muslim community in West Bengal must get the benefits of schemes such as Krishak Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat in order to become part of the development process.
Recently, Bollywood actor-turned politician Mithun Chakraborty, who is a BJP National Executive Committee member, addressed a number of public rallies in South 24 Parganas district, which is minority dominated and known to be a stronghold of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress. He urged the people to vote for the BJP in the panchayat polls and reap the benefits of PM Awas Yojana, which he said was marred by corruption by the ruling party. He also emphasised that the BJP was never against the BJP. I want the welfare of Muslim brothers,” he said.
Leader of opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said, “Who have you (minority community) brought to power? Out of 100, at least 95 have voted for Mamata Banerjee. See, who have you brought to power? You have to work at the grassroots and remove Mamata Banerjee from power.” Meanwhile, Firhad Hakim, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, slammed the BJP, saying, “A party, which has always attacked the minority and deprived them of basic rights, is now trying to woo the community and use them as a tool to reduce TMC’s votes. Suvendu Adhikari, who claims to be a ‘Sanatan Hindu’ and attacked the Muslims as “jihadis’ is now trying to stand for the minorities.”
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