A day after TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy was allegedly attacked by members of the Kurmi community, CM Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP. Photo Credit: PTI
A day after Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy was allegedly attacked by members of the Kurmi community Seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying she did not believe members of the Kurmi community were behind the violence.
“I will set up a Tribal Development Board. I have already constituted a board for the Kurmis. whatever [BJP] Try to tell, think about that. The way they have created caste riots in Manipur, they want the same in West Bengal,” Ms Banerjee said while addressing a public meeting at Salboni in West Medinipur district.
Ms Banerjee condemned the attack and those involved for their audacity in targeting Mr Abhishek Banerjee and Minister of State and representative of the ST community Ms Birbaha Hansda. The chief minister said, “They want to create a situation in which the tribals fight the Kurmis so that the army can be called in and the army can be ordered to ‘shoot at sight’.”
The state’s Jangalmahal region, a forested area in the southwestern parts of West Bengal, has been on the boil for the past few months, with members of the Kurmi community holding protests and blockades demanding ST status.
Shri Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy was attacked on Friday evening. While Mr Banerjee escaped unhurt, the vehicle Ms Hansda was traveling in was seriously damaged. Several policemen and Trinamool Congress supporters were injured in the violence.
On Saturday, four people from the Kurmi community were arrested for the violence and booked under non-bailable provisions.
Addressing a public meeting which was part of the outreach program of Shri Abhishek Banerjee.Trinamool Nabo Jowar (New wave of Trinamool) The Chief Minister said that his government has written four times to the Center on the demand of the Kurmi community.
Addressing a public meeting in Malda, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Shubhendu Adhikari said that the chief minister was responsible for the Kurmi movement.
The development assumes significance as Kurmis and STs are crucial for four Lok Sabha seats in the Jangalmahal region.
In the second week of April this year, community members organized road and railway blockades for five days in the region. Earlier this month, Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Maity came under severe criticism for calling Kurmis “Khalistani”. Top Trinamool leaders, including the chief minister, apologized for the party leader’s remarks.
Senior BJP leader and former president of the party’s West Bengal unit Dilip Ghosh also faced the wrath of community members. Mr. Ghosh’s remark that he had helped “Kurmi” movement By sending rice and pulses” the community members got angry. They had demanded an apology from Mr Ghosh and staged a protest near his residence at Kharagpur in Paschim Medinipur district. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar apologized for Mr Ghosh’s remarks.