TMC distances itself from 'goli maaro' slogan raised by party supporters

A day after a few TMC supporterschanted the slogan 'Bangal ke gaddaro ko, goli maro saalo ko'(shoot the traitors of Bengal) during a rally here, the rulingparty in Bengal on Wednesday distanced itself from therhetoric, and rebuked the activists who raised it.

Describing the slogan as ''excessive exuberance'' on thepart of some young supporters, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghoshstated that the party does not endorse it.

''Such a slogan should not have been raised from therally. Those who raised it have not done the right thing. Thewords 'goli maro' should not be taken literally,'' he said.

Several TMC supporters had chanted the controversialslogan on Tuesday during a peace rally in south Kolkata, whichwas also attended by two state cabinet ministers.

A similar slogan 'desh ke gaddaro ko, goli marosaalo ko' (shoot the traitors of the nation) -- by a BJPleader in Delhi in January 2020 had triggered a massive row inthe country, with the TMC among other parties vociferouslycriticising him.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, recalling the episodelast year, said the saffron party, back then, was in the eyeof the storm, and now the TMC has raised a similar slogan.

''The TMC has introduced the culture of guns and bombsin state politics. Now they are openly acknowledging it attheir rallies,'' Ghosh said.

Echoing him, BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said thisis the culture that is long being pursued by the TMC inBengal.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty claimed that both theBJP and the TMC are indulging in ''destructive politics andhampering peace in the state''.

The TMC's peace rally had on Tuesday traversed theroute that the BJP had taken a day before during its roadshow,which witnessed clashes between workers of the two politicalparties.

Accusing the BJP of instigating TMC activists at itsroadshow on Monday, state minister Arup Biswas also claimedthat the saffron party supporters, in a fit of rage, assaultedcommon people near Charu Market area.

The BJP, however, claimed that TMC workers, with partyflags in hands, brick-batted its supporters.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)