West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Ghosh, stoked a fresh controversy on Monday after he asked the party workers to beat Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and police personnel if attacked.
“We would not spare anybody, irrespective of whether he is a TMC worker or a policeman…I am telling you, if you don’t beat them up, you are not a BJP man”, said Ghosh while addressing party workers at a rally in Mecheda in East Midnapore district.
The Medinipur MP attacked the TMC government and said the police is booking BJP workers on false charges. He further went on to threaten the police officers with transfers if BJP comes to power.
According to an India Today report, Ghosh said, “Twenty-eight thousand cases have been filed against our workers. We are spending crores to fight them. Hundreds are in jail on false cases, they have even booked me for a murder case! The day I start killing people we shall wipe off their entire generation. We haven’t killed anyone yet and we got 18 seats.”
Drawing parallels to the recent arrest of P. Chidambaram in the INX Media case, he said if Chidambaram, despite being a former Cabinet minster can go to jail then who are TMC workers.
Justifying his comment, a day later he said that the BJP feels violence is required to end violence. Otherwise, the party’s existence will be in jeopardy, reported Hindustan Times.
“So I have told our workers that they should not get beaten up and then come crying to me. Have told them to get even,” he added.
Reacting to Ghosh’s comment Partha Chatterjee, the senior TMC leader said, “The comments made by Ghosh only reflects the vindictive mindset of BJP leaders. We condemn such provocative remarks which are aimed at disturbing the peace and stability of the state.”
Ghosh’s comment drew flak from not only from TMC but also from other political parties. “It’s extremely unfortunate. Dilip Ghosh’s words belong to the opposite pole of the culture that the people of Bengal cherish. His words indicate that he has lost his mind, or that he does not understand the meaning of human rights,” said CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakroborty.
It is not the first time Ghosh has been quoted for such absurd remarks. Last week he said that the woman who was beaten up by BJP party workers in North 24 Parganas, was “let off with a light dose” and deserved sound beating.
Also Read: BJP Observes Black Day Against Reported Killing Of Party Workers In West Bengal
