'Burning Of Bengal' A 'Trailer', Communal Violence Is On Table For BJP Before 2024 Polls: Kapil Sibal
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal described the recent incidents of riot and arson in West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat as a trailer ahead of general elections next year.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday said communal violence is on the table for the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections across the country. In a tweet today, he described the recent incidents of riot and arson in West Bengal and Gujarat as a "trailer."
As we approach 2024
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) April 1, 2023
For the BJP
On the table :
1) communal violence
2) hate speech
3) baiting minorities
4) target opposition by use of ED, CBI, election commission
Trailer :
Burning of Bengal
Stoking communal violence in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat
There were incidents of violence and arson in West Bengal’s Howrah on Thursday after clashes broke out between two groups during Ram Navami festivities after which several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked in the area, police said.
Incidents of violence were also reported in other states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand. In West Bengal, both BJP and the TMC are trading barbs over the violence.
Fresh incidents of stone-pelting were reported in West Bengal's Howrah on Friday, just a day after violence hit the state on 'Ram Navami'. Police had to resort to baton-charge to disperse the agitating crowd and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed in Kazipara area, news agency PTI reported.
West Bengal’s Howrah district on Thursday last week witnessed violence and arson after clashes broke out between two groups during Ram Navami festivities after which several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked in the area, police said.
According to inputs, 10 persons were injured in the incident while 36 people were detained. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that culprits won’t be spared and the law will take its course.
The incident occurred when the procession was passing through the Kazipara locality, news agency PTI reported a police officer as saying.
Several shops and auto-rickshaws were ransacked during the violence and several cars, including a few police vehicles, were set ablaze.Four fire tenders were rushed to extinguish the blaze.
As per PTI’s report, the police used force to disperse the mob. A large contingent of police was deployed in the locality where the situation is now said to be under control.
The West Bengal Chief Minister accused the BJP of trying to stoke communal tension during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah and said those involved in the incident would not be spared.
“I have repeatedly said that no Ram Navami procession will be blocked. I had given clear instructions to the police in this regard. While one community is celebrating Annapurna Puja, the other is observing fast during Ramzan,” she said while concluding her 30-hour extended sit-in in a protest in Kolkata, as quoted by PTI.
“Those who were involved in today’s violence will not be spared. I do not support riot mongers and consider them the enemy of the country. The BJP has always targeted Howrah. The other targets for them are Park Circus and Islampur. Everybody must be alert in their localities,” she remarked.
CM Mamata claimed that the BJP had hired goons from other states to orchestrate communal riots.
However, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari termed the Chief Minister’s claims as “baseless”. “The chief minister and the state administration are responsible for the violence,” he opined, as quoted by PTI.
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar countered CM Mamata’s allegation saying, “TMC is lying because it was not the wrong route. There was permission till Howrah ground and this was the only route to go there.”
“Now such days have come in India that you can take out Ram Navami procession in some areas and can't go to other areas,” he remarked, as quoted by news agency ANI.
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