Ahead of the upcoming elections in the State of West Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy has stirred a controversy by threatening violence against ‘outsiders’.
While speaking to ANI, Sukhendu referred to BJP leaders, campaigning in the State, as ‘outsiders.’ He warned that if the ‘outsiders’ try to disrupt the peace in West Bengal, then, Bengalis will rise up against them and might resort to armed resistance. “Prior to polls, you will see an influx of outsiders like that of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya. Soon, the BJP leader who said, ‘goli maaro’ would land here and send his goons with weapons,” the TMC leader alleged.
Sukhendu said, “I appeal to the people of West Bengal to refrain from listening to outsiders. If anyone tries to disrupt the ‘peace and harmony’ of the State, then, we will take all necessary steps to prevent it.” While highlighting the story of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s freedom struggle against Pakistan to justify ‘political violence’ by TMC goons, he emphasised, “Take up arms against the outsiders… We do not want to take up arms. But, remember, when Bengal starts an armed struggle, the whole country will shake.”
Reiterating the armed struggle of Bengali revolutionaries during the Indian Independence movement, Sukhendu said, “If outsiders such as Kailash Vijayvargiya come here with arms, then, we are ready to fight against the likes of him.” The Trinamool Congress is rattled ahead of the polls that are scheduled in April-May this year, with several heavyweight leaders deserting the party to join the BJP. Overwhelmed by fears of diminishing vote bank and political turnover and in the State, TMC is hellbent on raking an ‘outsider vs Bengali debate’
Outsider Vs Bengali debate
While addressing a large gathering of BJP supporters in Midnapore last month, amidst the political upheaval in the ruling Trinamool Congress party in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikary remarked, “Bengal is a land of rich culture, heritage and pluralism. But TMC has been referring to BJP leaders (Amit Shah, Kailash Vijayvargiya,…, Amit Malviya) as ‘outsiders’. I have said this before but we are Indians first and then Bengalis. They want to destroy the diversity of Bengal.”
Political violence in West Bengal against BJP
Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers vandalised BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari’s Nandigram office. The incident took place on Saturday night. BJP has demanded that the persons behind the incident should be arrested. Kanisha Panda said that TMC was using muscle power against the BJP. He said, “We protested against an incident caused by TMC Harmad cadres at Nandigram. We want to say that they are using muscle power. The administration is with you and that’s why you are able to get away with it.”
Another BJP leader, Krishnendu Mukherjee, narrowly escaped an onslaught of bullets in Asansol, West Bengal. As per reports, the incident took place on Sunday night when three unidentified men, allegedly from the TMC, open fired at the BJP leader’s convoy near his residence in Hirapur in Asansol. According to Mukherjee, he was returning home from Kolkata and had stopped his car outside his residence. When his driver stepped out to open the gate, three armed gunmen fired bullets at his car, the marks of which are clearly visible on the vehicle.