Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of running a 'dictatorship', alleging that it was misusing state power to 'torture' political opponents.
The minister told reporters that the police in the state was acting under the pressure of politicians as evident by the "fake cases" launched against his party leaders for carrying arms.
"In this state, the government is running a dictatorship," Rijiju said.
"The state administration has filed fake cases against party leaders. They didn't carry unlicensed guns. Trishuls and swords are traditional and symbolic weapons. It is the religious right of the people. This is an instance of misuse of power by the Trinamool Congress government," he said.
Rijiju, who was asked by reporters about cases lodged against the BJP leaders for carrying arms during Ram Navami procession, described the development as "very unfortunate".
Speaking at a party meet here in Birbhum district, Rijiju said that the police was being "misused" by the TMC government to "torture common people and political opponents".
An FIR was lodged against West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh and other BJP leaders for taking out a rally with swords on the occasion of Ram Navami last Wednesday.
Rijiju also accused the TMC government of not being 'sincere' in implementing the central government's welfare policies at a time when the chief minister accused the Centre of curtailing funds for central schemes.
"I have come here to see how the central government's welfare policies are being implemented. What I found is that the state government is not at all sincere to run the welfare schemes," he said.
Meanwhile, the Birbhum district police has refused to give permission to the BJP to hold a rally on April 11 on the occasion of "Bir Hanuman Jayanti".
The district administration rejected the petition filed by the BJP's district unit on March 31. Today the organisers of the rally handed over a memorandum in this regard to the minister.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)