Respond like Hindus reacted in 2002 Gujarat riots: BJP MLA to community

Hyderabad: Amid the ongoing tension in West Bengal's Baduria and Basirhat districts, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA H Raja Singh waded in controversy by appealing to the Hindu community in the state to respond the way Hindus in Gujarat reacted in 2002.

"Today, Hindus are not safe in the West Bengal state. Hindus in Bengal should respond to people involved in communal violence as Hindus in Gujarat did. Otherwise, soon Bengal will turn into Bangladesh." Singh said.

He also blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Government for ongoing tensions in the states by alleging that the latter is supporting those who are spreading communalism.

"The state government is supporting those who are spreading communalism. I want to appeal to those who are secular that if you want Bengal's Hindus to be safe and secure then you have to be more aware. If you failed to attain security in the state then you will also face the consequences like Hindus in Kashmir faced, will also be banished like Kashmiri Hindus," he added.

The Congress Party on Sunday slammed the BJP, saying, that by mentioning Gujarat riots, Singh is trying to claim that Narendra Modi-led government's persecution in Gujarat was justified.

"The BJP is trying to provoke riots and violence in Bengal. BJP's Bengal unit is fighting with the TMC. The statements by Raja Singh are shameful. By mentioning Gujarat riots, he is trying to claim that Modi government's persecution in Gujarat was justified," Congress leader Meem Afzal said.

Another grand old party leader Tom Vadakkan said that such statements clearly indicate the politicization of situation in Bengal.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she "will ask for judicial inquiry into incidents at Baduria and Basirhat area.

"For over a month there has been unrest in the hills. Centre is not cooperating to maintain law and order in Darjeeling," she said.

Violent clashes erupted in Basirhat area of the district after a Class X student updated a controversial picture on Facebook.

The boy was later detained by police, but the violence hasn't abated.

Fresh tension was reported in Basirhat area days after too forcing the police to lob tear gas shells and resort to baton charge even as the state government decided to ban some organisations for allegedly instigating people.