Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh refuted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement that violence in Malda was a result of tussle between BSF officials and locals.
Virtually kicking off BJP's campaign for the coming assembly poll in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today attacked Trinamool Congress government on the issue of law and order saying that women, people and even policemen are not secure here.
Holding business summits will not be able to bring in investments in the state unless the Trinamool Congress government improves law and order and ensures good governance, he said.
Despite Trinamool's slogan for ushering in change "'Ma-mati-manush' (mother, earth and people) and even police are not secure in West Bengal. The Trinamool government has not been able to bring in any change in Bengal," Singh told a rally at Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas district.
Mentioning the violence in Malda, he refuted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement that it was a result of tussle between BSF officials and locals.
"The incident in Malda is not a small incident. I want to tell the TMC government that the Malda case should be solved. Whoever may be involved in the incident should be arrested. Only few arrest can't solve the case," he said.
"It is being said that the (Malda) violence was a result of tussle between BSF and locals. But it is not true. Are they trying to safeguard those forces which attacked the BSF official? Will those who attacked the BSF roam free? This is the same BSF which had given befitting reply to Pakistani forces in the Indo-Pak border," Mr Singh said.
"Did the government here have no information about the rally and how many people will gather there? Was it not the government's responsibility to arrange for security there?"
If senior police officials had been present on the spot the situation could have been averted. "Let me assure you, whoever is behind the Malda incident will not be spared. They will be arrested and booked," Mr Singh said.
The home minister wondered how miscreants have the courage to attack police stations and beat up policemen in Bengal. "Is this the kind of government that the people of West Bengal wanted?"
Seeking people's support in the assembly election in the state scheduled for later this year, Mr Singh said "The BJP-led NDA government was elected in the Lok Sabha poll. For the first time in independent India a non-Congress government secured a clear majority.
"There will be assembly elections in West Bengal very soon. There will be change in Bengal too. I appeal to you that give us strength in the state assembly. We will do everything to change the situation in the state.
"The People from Bengal tell us that they want change but what will they do. Polling booths are looted. As the home minister of the country I want to assure you that you all will be able to exercise your franchise in a free and fair way," he said.
Mr Singh said he will tell Election Commission that whatever number of central forces is required the Centre will make it available.
In an obvious reference to the debate on intolerance, Mr Singh said, "Politics of religion should not be pursued. We will not pursue the politics of religion, but the politics of humanity and justice.
"But if someone commits a crime, whoever he may be and whichever religion or caste he belongs to, we will not pursue appeasement politics and take strong action against him," he said.
The Union home minister said there are political parties which try to come to power by pursuing politics of hatred between various communities and castes.
They purse the politics of vote bank and such kind of politics should not be pursued, he said.