BJP Alleges TMC's Vote Bank Politics: Economic Stagnation of West Bengal Muslims

BJP West Bengal head Samik Bhattacharya criticized TMC for using Muslims as a vote bank without aiding their economic growth. He claimed this led some Muslims to violence, and emphasized BJP's commitment to integrating them into mainstream society. He criticized TMC's mishandling of violence and infiltration issues.

The BJP's West Bengal unit president, Samik Bhattacharya, on Saturday addressed the party's Minority Morcha, asserting that the ruling TMC is leveraging the Muslim community as a vote bank without ensuring their economic development. Bhattacharya claimed that stagnant economic conditions have led some Muslim youths towards violence, a situation the BJP aims to rectify by encouraging education and integration into mainstream society.

He further accused TMC of being responsible for incidents of violence in the state, alleging they are sheltering culprits from across the border. Bhattacharya highlighted that once in power, the BJP would ensure such incidents do not recur, contrasting the reported safety of Muslims in BJP-led states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh with conditions in West Bengal.

Moreover, Bhattacharya pointed to incidents in Nadia and Sandeshkhali to illustrate TMC's failures to protect minorities and opposition party workers. He accused TMC of fraudulent support for Bangladeshi infiltrators, aggravating difficulties for genuine Bengali-speaking workers from West Bengal.

(With inputs from agencies.)