Malda, Uneasy After January Violence, Prepares For Pitched War

Malda, West Bengal: Malda, which made national headlines in January this year after violence in Kaliachak, was the first stop for Congress President Sonia Gandhi on her campaign for the West Bengal Assembly Elections. And it has already flared a war of words.

The district with nine seats has always been a Congress stronghold with a high Muslim population. But West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also trying to make inroads here.

Taking on both Ms Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mrs Gandhi said, "The one who calls herself Didi and those who shout Namo Namo are one. The PM goes abroad, talks about peace and keeps silent when his partymen spew venom at home."

While she did not mention Kaliachak town by name she accused both the leaders of stoking communal fires.
 In January, a huge mob of Muslims, protesting a controversial comment by a Hindu leader in Uttar Pradesh, had burned down the record room of a police station along with some parked vehicles there. One person was injured.

Ms Banerjee had recently said Kaliachak is a small incident and the BJP is "looking for an opportunity to start riots". The BJP had accused her of going easy on those who were behind the violence for the sake of votes.

The Trinamool Congress lashed out strongly to Mrs Gandhi's comments. "We have always been very restrained when it comes to criticising you. But you have tested the limits of our politeness. How could you - How dare you, we would say - compare Mamata Banerjee to Narendra Modi. The Sonia -Modi arrangement is so neat that it has reduced that it has reduced national politics to a protection racket," Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien said in an open letter to the Congress chief.

The BJP, which bagged 17 per cent of the vote in Malda in the 2014 national elections, meanwhile hopes to cash in on feud. Malda BJP chief Subrata Kundu told NDTV, "The minority community was kept away from us by saying that we are a communal party. Today they are with us."