BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Kolkata: Two Muslim legislators of the TMC, one of them a minister, on Wednesday slammed Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP for his “throwing Muslim MLAs out of assembly” comment, and demanded that he take back his words or face protests.
One of the two Trinamool Congress leaders, who is also a minister, threatened legal action against the BJP legislator.
Adhikari on Tuesday claimed that if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal in next year’s polls, TMC’s Muslim MLAs will be thrown out of the state assembly.
TMC Humayun Kabir told reporters outside the House that Adhikari should withdraw his comment in 72 hours in public or face protests.
"I stand by what I say. I am giving Suvendu Adhikari 72 hours to take back his words. Otherwise, we the MLAs of the minority community might show him the might of people in the assembly after the 72-hour- period," he said.
Kabir later told PTI: "If Adhikari does not retract his statement, the protests can take place anywhere in the state, not necessarily within the House premises." Threatening to take legal action against Adhikari, junior minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury said Muslims have been living with Hindus and other communities for years and this country belongs to all.
"Such a comment has never been thought about, discussed and uttered in Bengal in the past. This is a direct affront to the values of pluralism and secularism. We are pained with Adhikari's words," said Chowdhury, also the President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's state unit.
Responding to Kabir’s remarks, Adhikari claimed that the TMC MLA was emboldened by the appeasement policy pursued by his leader Mamata Banerjee.
“I don't want to attach any importance to his words, but if any harm is done to me, if I or any of our MLAs are heckled, there will be consequences," the BJP leader said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister and veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chatterjee said Kabir has given the 72-hour deadline in his personal capacity.
"However, our party deplores the anti-Muslim rhetoric of Suvendu Adhikari which goes against the secular fabric of India and our long-cherished traditions of people of different communities living in peace for centuries," he said.
Chatterjee asserted that Adhikari’s attempt to polarise the electorate will not succeed.
In the assembly, TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Adhikari saying: "Your imported Hindu dharma is not supported by the Vedas or by our seers. How can you deny the rights of Muslims as citizens? This is nothing but a fraud. You are importing fake Hinduism."