Kolkata, Nov 12 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday vowed to continue his campaign to politically isolate the “atheist Communists” and the “pro-Jamaati Trinamool Congress”, accusing both forces of undermining traditional Hindu religious practices and cultural traditions in the state.
Addressing a programme for the distribution of Chhath Puja items in Howrah district, adjoining Kolkata, Chief Minister Adhikari alleged that successive Communist and Trinamool Congress governments had disrespected Hindu traditions and weakened the state’s cultural identity.
“The Communists ruled West Bengal for 34 years. They claimed to be atheists and were disrespectful towards traditional Hindu rituals. During the 15-year Trinamool Congress government, the state’s traditions and culture were also undermined. Durga Puja pandals and idols were inaugurated during Pitru Paksha,” he alleged.
The Chief Minister also recalled incidents of stone-pelting at Ram Navami processions in different parts of the state, accusing the previous governments of failing to protect traditional religious practices.
“Your Chief Minister will continue with the task of isolating the atheist Communists and the pro-Jamaati Trinamool Congress from the people of West Bengal so that neither of these forces ever resurfaces on the soil of the state,” CM Adhikari said.
He also launched a sharp attack on his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, accusing her (Trinamool Congress) government of discriminating against people from other Indian states who had settled in West Bengal while allegedly maintaining close links with illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.
“For her (Mamata Banerjee), people from other Indian states who have been living in West Bengal for a long time are outsiders, while illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators were her close associates,” the Chief Minister alleged.
He also claimed that members of the previous Trinamool Congress government had illegally transferred more than Rs 20,000 crore abroad over the past 15 years.
He warned that those involved would face legal action and be sent to prison.
The Chief Minister also promised to reclaim government land allegedly occupied illegally by Trinamool Congress leaders across the state during the previous government.
Illegal constructions on such properties would be demolished and the recovered land used to develop housing projects for economically weaker sections, he said.
Referring to the recent festival season, from Durga Puja to Kali Puja, Chief Minister Adhikari said people belonging to different linguistic communities had celebrated together.
He accused the previous state government of dividing people along linguistic lines and claimed that the situation had improved.
He also referred to the recent bypoll results in Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar, claiming that they indicated a shift in the political outlook of Muslim voters, who, he said, were beginning to recognise that the Bharatiya Janata Party was not their enemy.
–IANS
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