Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 2 (ANI): Hitting out at former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rahul Sinha on Monday asserted that party workers would thwart every attempt to weaken democratic institutions in the state, declaring that ‘no one would be able to destroy democracy’ as long as BJP workers continued to stand united.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the party’s ‘Save Democracy’ march in Kolkata, Sinha responded to allegations raised by Banerjee regarding electoral outcomes and claimed that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo had lost touch with the ground reality.
“The message is that as long as even a single Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker remains, no one will be able to destroy democracy. Every BJP worker will work to thwart the conspiracy that these people are hatching to destroy democracy,” Sinha said.
Taking a direct swipe at Banerjee over her remarks blaming electoral losses on vote manipulation, Sinha said that the people of West Bengal had rejected the Trinamool Congress.
“Mamata Banerjee claimed at a rally yesterday that the defeat was due to ‘SIR’—that the BJP stole votes. The truth is, she has lost her own connection with the people. The people of Bengal did not want to see the Trinamool anymore, which is why she lost.”
The remarks came amid heightened political sparring between the ruling BJP and Trinamool Congress in the state, with the BJP organising demonstrations alleging that democratic rights and the rule of law are being undermined in West Bengal.
Earlier in the day, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya led the party’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy) march in Kolkata.
The march witnessed a large participation of BJP workers and supporters, with national flags prominently displayed throughout the procession.
Meanwhile, speaking to ANI at the rally, West Bengal Minister Ajay Kumar Poddar alleged that foreign powers and opposition parties were working together to obstruct India’s progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Targeting the INDIA bloc, he accused its constituents of attempting to disrupt the country’s development and political momentum.
“All foreign powers want to halt India’s momentum. They are all in cahoots. These ‘cockroaches’—everyone associated with the INDI Alliance—their sole objective is to figure out how to stop India. They cannot tolerate the direction in which PM Modi has been steering the country over the last twelve years. These are all anti-national forces…,” Poddar said.
West Bengal Minister Arjun Singh also launched a sharp attack on former Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her recent remarks, accusing her of making statements out of frustration. He also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while commenting on the political relationship between the opposition leaders.
“Her mind is not working. Things are not unfolding the way she wants, so, out of sheer frustration, she is lashing out at others. Mamata Banerjee would not be able to win even a municipal election in this lifetime—as for the next life, who knows?… Rahul Gandhi was a ‘Pappu’, he still is, and he always will be. It makes no difference whether Mamata Banerjee clings to the feet of Rahul Gandhi or those of Pakistan—the outcome will remain the same…,” Singh said. (ANI)
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