NEW DELHI: BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh under fire for his provocative remarks over violence in UP and Assam during NRC-CAA protests.
On Sunday, while addressing a rally at Ranaghat in Nadia in West Bengal, Ghosh had sparked a row when he said that the police in BJP-led states like UP, Karnataka and Assam ‘shot people dead like dogs.’
“You come here, eat our food, stay here and vandalize public property. Is it your zamindari? We will bash you with lathis, shoot you and put you in jail. Mamata Banerjee has no desire to do anything,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched an outrage over Ghosh’s statement.
Reacting to his controversial remark, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said, “It’s shameful. How can you say this? It is a shame to even take his name. You’re promoting firing. Bengal is not UP. Here, firing won’t happen.”
BJP MP from West bengal, Babul Supriyo came in for severe criticism for comments from his own party’s union minister.
“BJP as a party has nothing to do with what Dilip Ghosh may have said. It is a figment of his imagination and BJP Governments in UP, Assam have NEVER EVER resorted to shooting people for whatever reason whatsoever,” he said on Twitter.
He said that the statement made by Ghosh was highly irresponsible. “Very irresponsible of Dilip Da to have said what he said,” he tweeted.
Ghosh angers Twitterati
Twitterati on Monday reacted angrily to Ghosh’s reported threat and the hashtag #DilipGhosh trended with 6,014 tweets.
“As per his 2019 poll affidavit, Ghosh has many cases against him, of which some are under the IPC charges like Section 354 — assault of woman to outrage her modesty; Section 153 — giving provocation with intent to cause riot; and Section 143 — being member of unlawful assembly. What should the police/government do with this criminal?” said another.
Over two dozens people have been killed in Uttar Pradesh, more than 800 arrested and 5000 detained while at least five people have died in police firing in Assam and two in Karnataka due to the violence that erupted across the nation ever since the Centre passed the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on December 15.