Not aware of politics in Bengal: Abhishek slams Shah

Coming down heavily on the Union home minister, Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said Amit Shah is the most inefficient home minister of the country since Independence.

Talking to newsmen outside the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport he said: “Mr Shah should enjoy the winter in Bengal and its food and rasagolla. The people will give them a big zero in the Assembly election. Least said that the BJP is the best.”

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Mr Shah, who came to Kolkata yesterday night, said there are the highest number of infiltrators in Bengal and the BJP will get two third majority in the Assembly election while the Matua people will be given citizenship.

Reacting sharply to Mr Shah’s comment, Mr Banerjee said: “Mr Shah is not aware of the politics in Bengal. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj said two days ago that Shah is the biggest infiltrator and a Pakistani. Another BJP Lok Sabha MP Jagannath Sarkar had said two months ago that if the BJP comes to power in Bengal there will be no border. Has Mr Shah taken any action against Ananta Maharaj or Mr Sarkar. Has the party issued show-cause notices on them,” Mr Banerjee asked.

Mr Banerjee said Mr Shah often talked about infiltrators in Bengal but during the SIR they could not be spotted. The Election Commission of India (ECI) should publish a list of infiltrators.

He said: “Mr Shah’s ministry is looking after the border. By a notification, the areas along the border to be controlled by the central forces have been increased. Then it is the responsibility of the department to arrest those who will cross the border illegally. In Pulwama, the terrorists had gunned down innocent people. Four days before the election in Bihar a blast took place in Delhi. Mr Shah has no answer and on the contrary the Director of Intelligence Bureau was given a one year extension.”

Lambasting the BJP, Mr Banerjee said in the states ruled by the saffron party, Bengali people have been beaten to death or abused. “The BJP leaders are silent on the matter. Their leaders did not visit the house of the workers who died,” he said.

He maintained that two people have died, who received notice from the ECI for hearing the officials with documents.

“The BJP does not understand Bengal’s culture. Today Mr Shah called Rabindranath Tagore as Rabindranath Sanyal. He refers to Panchanan Barma as Panchanan Barman. And now, they have come to Bengal urging people to vote for the BJP. Let them come to Bengal as many times as they want and my only concern is they should feel for the people of Bengal and take action against those who have equated Bengali-speaking people with Bangladeshis.”