'Ready to be martyred for religion': Suvendu leads 'Sanatani' solidarity rally in Bengal town

Kolkata: Making a strong Hindutva pitch ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections for unity among Hindus with an aim to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee government, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday walked in a 'sanatani' solidarity rally at Haldia in Purba Medinipur district.

Hundreds of BJP activists took part in the rally, which covered over a 2 km area in the industrial township, ending at the heart of the town.

The rally took place following the switching over of BJP MLA from Haldia, Tapasi Mondal, to TMC a week back. Adhikari had taken out a similar rally in Tamluk two days ago.

"Such rallies mark the unification of all Hindus and precede the demise of the TMC regime in the next polls. Mamata Banerjee's appeasement policies and her turning a blind eye to the atrocities against Hindus by jihadi elements in different parts of the state will make her party bite the dust," Adhikari said.

He said the immediate reason behind the rally is the "atrocities against sanatani Hindus" by jihadis in the district during the recent Holi/Doljatra festival.

"If five per cent more Hindu votes come to the BJP kitty, we will win the next assembly polls," he claimed.

Citing the results of the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Delhi, where the NDA led by BJP swept the polls, Adhikari claimed around 10 per cent of Hindu voters, who had not shown interest in voting in previous polls, came out to exercise their franchise in the last elections.

Adhikari accused Banerjee of taking out a rally in the Park Circus area of Kolkata against the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and insulting crores of devotees who had gone to Prayagraj to take a holy dip by describing 'Maha Kumbh' as 'Mrityu Kumbh,' branding her government as 'Muslim League 2.' Describing the state government as "pro-appeasement for one community," Adhikari said, "We don't want to turn West Bengal into another Bangladesh." "From 22 per cent Hindus in Bangladesh years back, the number has gone down to five per cent at present and Hindus are under attack. Do you want West Bengal to meet a similar fate?" Adhikari asked.

The leader of the opposition also described Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as a tyrant who committed atrocities on Hindu kings.

Claiming that the centuries-old Somnath temple in Gujarat was destroyed by Mughal rulers, he said the construction of the Ram temple heralded the phase of Hindu awakening "as Sanatanis are turning around." Reading out a message from the police administration in Howrah, he said the authorities have fixed the number of participants for the Ram Navami rally in Shyampur, which had witnessed an attack on the Durga Puja pandal last year.

"Police cannot stop attacks and assembling of people at 'sanatani' places of worship, but police have restricted the number of people walking in the Ram Navami procession. Such curbs will not work. Thousands will walk in the Ram Navami rally. Mothers and daughters, please come and join the rally. We will observe Ram Navami peacefully, but let the administration help us to maintain peace," he said.

"I am ready to become a martyr to save my religion," he said.

Turning to the employment front, Adhikari accused Banerjee's government of squeezing job opportunities, leaving 2.5 crore youths, including OBCs and SCs/STs, without work.

He alleged that the policy of the TMC government has facilitated the setting up of liquor shops every 100 metres in Bengal, which has resulted in an unsafe environment for women.

Opposing the move to appoint women security officials in bars along highways, he said, "While this government cannot ensure employment for women in government jobs and ensure their safety at the workplace during night hours, they are compromising the security of our mothers and daughters by employing them in night clubs and bars along highways." Adhikari said, "The undemocratic TMC government has got two Bills passed in the assembly by suspending me, the leader of opposition."