Upping the ante against the Mamata Banerjee government, the BJP today accused it of preventing Hindus from observing their religious festivals like Ram Navami and pursuing "politics of minority appeasement".
The party said that it would oust the TMC government through people's movement if it continued its minority appeasement policies.
"The TMC government is pursuing the politics of minority appeasement. Hindus here cannot observe their religious festivals like Ram Navami.
"But arms were allowed to be carried in Muharram processions without permission," party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told a meeting here at the end of a programme organised to protest against alleged atrocities on Hindus by the police.
"We will remove the TMC government if it did not stop its appeasement policy through people's movement. The people in the state are disenchanted with the TMC government. Corruption is rampant everywhere," Vijayvargiya warned, saying "the common Muslims in Bengal are our brothers. We have no enmity with them. The BJP is not an anti-Muslim party."
Asking the TMC government to treat everyone equally. The leader said, "If Muslims are allowed to observe Eid, Muharram, Hindus should also be allowed to observe their festivals. The police should not resort to lathicharge on Ram Navami processions."
His statement came in the wake of trouble during Ram Navami procession here when the police had resorted to lathicharge.
Commenting on Vijayvargiya's statement, Senior TMC leader and minister Subrata Mukherjee said, "First, they have to know the state well, then they should talk of removing the TMC. It is a matter of shame that the BJP has brought communalism in the state".
Turning to Narada sting video case, Vijayvargiya demanded that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ask those ministers in her cabinet, whose names have figured in the Narada sting operation, to resign.
He said that many leaders from the TMC, the Congress and the CPI(M) wanted to join the BJP but "we will not take those who are involved in Narada, Saradha chit fund scam".
He urged the people not to support those parties who raised slogans like, "Bharatmata Murdabad".
Vijayvargiya also said that his party would not make Teesta water-sharing issue a political one.
"Ours is a federal structure. The central government will talk to the state government at official level and take the final decision. As a party we have nothing to say about it," he said.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "In Bengal it has become a sin to raise slogans like Jai Sri Ram" and alleged that the police had lathicharged those who had taken out Ram Navami processions in Birbhum.
"We are on the streets to protect the rights of the people," he said.
Referring to brandishing of swords at Ram Navami processions by affiliates of the RSS, Mamata had said on April 12, "Some locals popped up suddenly asking people to play with swords. That's not Bengal's culture," she said, adding, "Let them learn Bengal's culture first, then comment about the state".
"There is no need to give importance to them," she had stated.
Meanwhile, Birbhum district president of the BJP Ramkrishna Roy alleged that at least 20 buses carrying party supporters were held up by "TMC-backed goons" and two local leaders were injured at Ahmedpur.
Police sources said that untoward incidents were reported from Sadaipur, Ahmedpur and Labhpur where the BJP workers were allegedly held up by the TMC supporters.
The TMC on the other hand alleged that the BJP supporters ransacked their party offices.
The CPI-M took out a "peace rally" at Labhpur led by Sujan Chakraborty. Local CPI-M leaders later met the police at Suri.
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