Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 5: The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the crucial state Assembly elections next year, on Monday labelled the arch-rivals BJP and the party-led central government a “heavily-loaded virus that spreads communal tension and hatred.”
She also strongly criticised the BJP government in her neighbouring state of Odisha over the ongoing controversy surrounding the Digha Jagannath Dham and the alleged ill-treatment of Bengali migrant labourers. “What is your problem if we have one Jagannath Dham?” she asked and commented. “Jealousy has no cure. There is no medicine for jealousy. You stay happy, let Bengal also stay happy.”
In a scathing attack – delivered in Murshidabad where three people were killed last month in violence over changes to the Waqf act, Ms Banerjee claimed BJP ‘goons’ stopped her from visiting the families of the victims from the state of the Pahalgam terror attack. And she also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to protect India’s borders.
“When you (referring to Mr Modi) are in the (Prime Minister’s) chair, you cannot divide the people on religious lines. Please (instead) take care of India… please take care of the borders.” “Give justice to the people and don’t play nasty politics,” the Chief Minister declared, claiming evidence of a “conspiracy” orchestrated by the BJP, with help from the National Human Rights Commission, to spread propaganda against her government before the election.
“I have unearthed most of the conspiracy… I will expose this before the media. But unfortunately, some media houses played into the hands of the BJP in spreading lies.” Ms Banerjee was making her first visit to Murshidabad since the violence.
Blaming the “outsiders” for the Murshidabad riots, she said, “We do not want riots,” pointing out that her government had already declared it would not implement the new Waqf act in the state. “Some outsiders orchestrated it… but we will expose them and their conspiracy.” This was after a NHRC panel visited Murshidabad prompting her to ask if the rights body, which reports to the centre, was as prompt in witnessing potential violations in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh.
Regarding the controversy over the newly-constructed the Jagannath Dham temple in Digha, Ms Banerjee refuted accusations of theft, stating, “Jagannath Dham has massively affected you, hasn’t it? It is being said that I even stole a neem plant. I have four neem plants in my own house. The mother of thieves shouts more…Mamata Banerjee doesn’t need to steal from anywhere. Our deity is of marble. They should also know that one can buy a Jagannath statue.”
Banerjee dismissed claims that the West Bengal government used wood from the Puri shrine, asserting, “Daitapati brought it, not from where they are claiming. I heard he was called yesterday, he straightaway told them it was false. It is heard that he has been questioned why he came here.”
She further questioned Odisha’s stance, highlighting Bengal’s support during crises. “So much jealousy of Jagannath Dham? When you face electricity scarcity, Bengal arranges it. I love Odisha. When, during a cyclone, all your wires get damaged, you seek our engineers. Despite us being affected by the cyclone too, we sent them. The maximum number of tourists from Bengal visit Puri and Odisha. Bengal tourists visit from here throughout the year. What is your problem if we have one Jagannath Dham? You stay happy, let Bengal also stay happy.”
Banerjee also raised concerns about the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking individuals in Odisha and other states. “Why are you targeting and beating Bengali-speaking people? I have come to know that in Odisha, people are being beaten up for speaking in Bengali. Even in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, similar things happened.”
She contrasted this with Bengal’s treatment of migrant workers. “You are targeting my migrant labourers for speaking in Bengali, but we will not do this. That is the difference between you and us. We in Bengal have 1.5 crore migrant labourers who work here — they are from different states,” she said.
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“Jealousy has no cure. There is no medicine for jealousy. I do not want any misunderstanding with anyone. Our Chief Secretary is sending a letter to the Bihar, Rajasthan, and Odisha governments. Our DG has most probably already spoken to their DGP in Odisha. May good sense prevail… Please remember,” she said.
