Mamata ‘hypocrite’, tries to appease both Hindus and Muslims for votes: Adhir Chowdhury

Kolkata: Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury on Thursday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her a “hypocrite” who tries to “appease” both Hindus and Muslims for votes.

Chowdhury also mocked the CM, claiming that she was “enjoying” the war of words between the BJP and TMC over Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s controversial remarks on Muslim MLAs.

"There is no discussion on the future of the state or education, finance and health (in the assembly). Instead, one is saying that Muslims will not be allowed to enter, while another is saying that he will thrash the other... and the CM is enjoying this," Chowdhury told reporters here.

His comments come in the wake of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's recent remarks that Muslim MLAs from the TMC would be "thrown out" of the assembly if the BJP came to power.

In response, two Muslim legislators of the TMC, one of them a minister, had slammed Adhikari, demanding that he take back his words or face protests.

Threatening to take legal action against Adhikari, junior minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury said Muslims have been living with Hindus and other communities for years, and that the country belongs to all.

"Have you seen Mamata Banerjee asking anyone to stop? This divisive politics is having an impact on a liberal party like the Congress," Adhir Chowdhury said.

"Banerjee is neither a Hindu nor a Muslim... but a hypocrite. To get votes, she sometimes appeases the Hindus and then again turns to the Muslims. We have never seen such a thing before that a CM is trying to prove that she is a Hindu inside the assembly," the senior Congress leader said.

The chief minister had on Wednesday lashed out at Adhikari over his controversial remarks, and accused the BJP of importing "fake Hinduism" into the state.

Adhir Chowdhury also alleged that there was total lawlessness in Bengal under Banerjee.

"Societal, political, financial and administrative vandalism is underway in the state under her leadership," he claimed.

He took exception to an “order” by the chairman of the Nabadwip municipal body in Nadia district, which appealed to residents of the town to consume vegetarian food for three days during Holi, popularly known as ‘Dol Utsav’ there. Biman Kumar Saha, the town’s municipal body chairman, had urged all concerned to ensure that non-vegetarian food is not sold or cooked during the festival.

"She (Banerjee) has stopped the sale of fish and meat in Nabadwip to make people happy. We have seen such things in BJP-ruled states... and to appease the Muslims, she is holding Iftar parties at the expense of government money.

"... In future, she may someday ask Muslims not to hold their prayers because Holi is celebrated on a Friday," the former Pradesh Congress Committee president said.

He was also critical of the Kolkata Police's proposal to set up an outpost inside the Jadavpur University campus, alleging that it was a ploy of the state administration to tame protests at varsities.

"There is no logic behind the decision to set up a police outpost there... This seems to be an attempt to create an atmosphere where students are seen either as anti-socials or terrorists," he claimed.