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The BJP in Bengal today accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of trying to take credit for the long-pending Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, pointing out that she had opposed the agreement during the previous UPA rule. "She even withdrew herself from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to Bangladesh in this connection... Now when the present BJP government is on the verge of putting it into effect, she is trying to take credit," party's state president Rahul Sinha, told reporters here.
According to Sinha, the exercise is aimed at wooing Muslim votes ahead of the approaching elections in the state. "TMC has given Jamaat-e-Islami shelter here in West Bengal. It has helped Jamaat-e-Islami use our soil for making bombs which were used in Bangladesh," he alleged. "Our party has been asking for the exchange of enclaves since Independence. We will oppose the TMC from taking credit for this.. We will host meetings and rallies opposing this attempt of TMC," he said.
At a programme at Dinhata in Coochbehar district yesterday, Banerjee said the exchange of enclaves would be a positive move and that her government would write a letter to the Centre requesting for an early solution.
Sinha alleged that the TMC's participation in today's protest against the government outside Parliament demanding sacking of Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti for her controversial remarks was a "ploy to divert attention from the ongoing probes into the Saradha scam and the Burdwan blast''. '
'This is nothing but a ploy to divert attention from the ongoing investigations in the Saradha Scam and the Khagragarh blasts.. But this will not help them (TMC).. Those who will be arrested will be arrested," Sinha stated.
He expressed surprise that a party which "shielded" its MP Tapas Paul who had made the infamous "rape remarks" should be asking for the Union minister's resignation even after the PM had apologised.
"It's quite surprising to see MPs of a party who make such derogatory remarks are protesting outside Parliament... They should first learn themselves before asking others to act properly," he added. Sinha slammed the CPI(M) for pulling out of today's protest-demonstration outside Parliament in the last minute, saying "CPI(M) now is a divided party within itself".
He also ticked off Mamata Benerjee for using words and making gesticulation not becoming of a chief minister. This caused damage to the state's culture, he observed. "Being a Chief Minister she should be more careful with her words.....She must apologise because she has hurt the sentiment of the state's people," he said.
Trinamool Congress State Youth Congress' former general secretary Lohar today joined the BJP in the presence of Sinha.
