"Bengal Government Opposing Centre's Farm Laws Despite...": BJP

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya claimed on Sunday that the Mamata Banerjee dispensation, which is vehemently opposing the Centre's farm laws, has passed a similar legislation in Bengal to give farmers the right to sell produce independently.

Accusing Ms Banerjee of "dichotomy", Mr Vijayvargiya also urged Ms Banerjee to clarify "if Rohingyas and Bangladeshi immigrants in Bengal were insiders, as she often refers to BJP leaders from other states as outsiders".

"The TMC government has already passed bills for the farmers, allowing them to sell their produce anywhere as per their choice, but now when Modi ji has done the same, she is opposing it," he said, addressing a rally at Red Road in Kolkata.

He slammed Ms Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, for apparently calling the country's prime minister and the home minister "outsiders".

"You (Mamata Banerjee) are not concerned about the culture and ethos of Bengal, only narrow vote bank politics is what you are interested in," he said.

Alleging that the TMC dispensation had in the past stopped Durga Puja immersion ceremony, while allowing Muharram processions, Mr Vijayvargiya said, "The BJP will provide a strong and confident government which will allow people of both the religions to participate in rituals at the same time, and no one would dare create any unrest."

Attempts are being made to trample the opposition in the state, he alleged, warning the BJP will hit the streets with increased force if necessary.

"There is no place for political violence in a democracy, attempts to crush opposition through coercion will not succeed," he stated.

The BJP's Bengal minder further said that work for providing citizenship to refugees from Bangladesh will commence from January or February, in accordance with the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Iterating that BJP workers and leaders are being persecuted in Bengal, he said 45 cases have been instituted so far against party national vice president Mukul Roy.

Meanwhile, Mr Roy, while speaking at the rally organised by the party in memory of Dr B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary, said that the BJP will ensure that people belonging to the scheduled castes, tribes and other backward classes will be given their due respect in Bengal by the saffron party.

He asserted that the BJP will win more than 200 out of a total 294 seats in the next Assembly elections in the state in April-May next year.

"Our vote share has reached 41 per cent from 4 per cent in Bengal. In the near future, Trinamool Congress will be reduced to a microscopic party," Mr Roy, once a senior leader of the state's ruling party and a close confidante of Mamata Banerjee, said.