"Of all pseudo-secular parties, most dangerously communal is Mamata Banerjee-led TMC": BJP MP

Jethmalani claimed that Mamata incited unrest against Hindus during Ram Navami after losing the Sagardighi assembly bypoll.

Senior advocate and BJP MP Mahesh Jethmalani said on Tuesday that of all the ‘pseudo-secular’ parties, the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress was the “most dangerously communal.” He was referring to the unrest in the state during Ram Navami celebrations. Jethmalani claimed that Mamata incited unrest against Hindus during Ram Navami after losing the Sagardighi assembly bypoll.

“Of all the pseudo-secular parties the most dangerously communal is the #MamataBanerjee-led TMC. Not chastened by the SC transfer to the CBI of the horrendous post-poll violence cases, the mere loss of the Sagardighi assembly bypoll spurred Mamata to incite violence against Hindus during #RamNavami akin to her call to violence against BJP supporters after the 2021 Assembly,” tweeted the senior advocate.

The Rajya Sabha MP claimed that CM Banerjee’s “mollycoddling of the Muslim vote bank” is the root cause of the state’s violence.

“The BJP were not provocateurs on Ram Navami: Mamata’s ruthless quest to cling to power by mollycoddling her Muslim vote Bank to any extent is the root cause of the continuing mayhem in W.Bengal. Pity the State,” he tweeted.

The remark follows a new incident of stone-pelting in the Hooghly district’s Rishra town on Monday evening, which caused Eastern Railway to suspend all local and mail express train services to and from Rishra railway station.

Earlier, reacting to the violence in West Bengal, Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly and BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged that while Rishra was burning, the entire state government is having a beach holiday in ‘Digha’.

Taking to Twitter, the BJP leader said, “Stone pelting & bombing near Rishra Railway Station forced suspension of local & express train services on the Howrah-Bardhaman Line.”

“After RPF’s action train services now have been restored. Rishra is burning and the entire State Administration is enjoying a beach holiday in Digha,” he said further in his tweet.

According to Kaushik Miron, Eastern Railway’s senior public relations officer, a stone-pelting incident occurred at Rishra railway station. He added that police and the rapid response force (RAF) were also stationed in the area to avoid any untoward incidents.

The new clashes occurred just one day after clashes arose during the BJP’s march in Hooghly on Sunday. Following that, the state government issued prohibitory orders and suspended internet access throughout the district. Earlier on Thursday, several cars were set on fire after a fight between two groups in Howrah during Ram Navami celebrations. During the procession, rioters vandalised public and private property and set fire to cars.

Following the violence in Howrah during the Ram Navami celebrations, the West Bengal administration handed over the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department on Friday. (CID). An investigation has been launched by a special team headed by Inspector General of Police, CID, Sunil Choudhury.