Kolkata, August 2 (IANS) West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul on Sunday expressed extreme concern over the safety of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in the wake of the arrest of a Jaish‑e‑Mohammed (JeM) aide in the state.
Minister Paul had came to attend multiple programmes of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) in north Bengal’s Siliguri.
While talking to reporters after arriving at the Bagdogra airport, the Minister requested the Chief Minister to move around with bulletproof jackets, bulletproof cars and jammer-equipped convoys.
At the same time, she highlighted the difference in the position of the Bharatioya Janata Party with the previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments in standing in solidarity with exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin.
She claimed that the way Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari mixes with the common people of the state, his life is in great danger.
Minister Paul alleged that the terrorists are getting so emboldened today because in the past, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government has only indulged in vote bank politics.
“During the previous (Trinamool Congress) government’s era, the citizenship of oppressed Hindus were withheld and fake documents were made available for illegal immigrants and militants. As a result of this long 15-year political stalemate, the militants are showing such audacity as to plan to kill the Chief Minister today. The Chief Minister should move around with bulletproof jackets, bulletproof cars and jammer-equipped convoys,” the Minister said.
She accused the previous Trinamool Congress government of only fulfilling political interests without thinking about the people of its own country.
On the other hand, while talking about Taslima Nasrin’s return to West Bengal, Minister Paul attacked both the Left and Trinamool Congress governments.
She alleged that the previous governments of Chief Ministers Jyoti Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Mamata Banerjee in the state have always done religious appeasement and vote bank politics.
“As a woman, Taslima Nasrin has protested against injustice from day one and despite being steadfast in her ideology, none of the previous governments stood by her,” Minister Paul said.
–IANS
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