Howrah, Nov 12 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the previous Left Front and TMC governments, accusing them of exploiting religious festivals, cultural traditions and linguistic differences for political gains.
Adhikari also asserted that his government would not allow the return of what he described as divisive and appeasement-driven politics.
Addressing a programme at Kazipara here ahead of Chhath Puja, he said the 34-year rule of the Left Front and the subsequent 15-year TMC regime had damaged the state's social fabric and undermined its centuries-old traditions.
"We will work to permanently keep away from the people of Bengal both the 34-year-old atheist Communists and the 15-year-old Jamaat-following Trinamool (TMC). The present government will ensure that they never get an opportunity to raise their heads again," the CM asserted.
Adhikari alleged that successive governments had used festivals and religious occasions as instruments of political polarisation, creating divisions among communities instead of preserving Bengal's pluralistic cultural traditions.
"They shy away from putting tilak on their foreheads and also don't tie sacred threads on their wrists, which is a practice for every Sanatani Hindu," he said while targeting communists.
Taking aim particularly at the TMC, he claimed that the party systematically weakened the state's traditional social and cultural ethos during its 15 years in power.
He alleged that the previous regime had sought to divide the Sanatan community by exploiting linguistic differences, and portraying people from other states as outsiders.
"Indian citizens coming from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were branded as outsiders, while illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were treated with undue hospitality," the chief minister said.
Adhikari also accused the TMC leadership of attempting to project the BJP as a non-Bengali political force to consolidate its electoral support base, while allegedly marginalising different sections of society for political convenience.
The remarks come against the backdrop of the BJP's sustained political campaign in Bengal over alleged illegal infiltration, identity politics and what it describes as minority appeasement under the previous TMC government.
Adhikari also alleged that thousands of crores of rupees had been illegally transferred out of the country during the previous regime, while linguistic and religious fault lines were exploited to retain political power.
Issuing a stern warning to those accused of corruption, Adhikari said his government would not spare anyone involved in financial irregularities.
"Nobody involved in corruption will be given the slightest concession," he said.
Adhikari alleged that the previous TMC regime had attempted to discourage Hindu religious celebrations, asserting that his government believed in inclusiveness in keeping with Bengal's traditions and that Muslims were also rallying behind the BJP.
"We won the Nandigram bypoll with a huge victory margin and also from Rejinagar, where 70 per cent of the population is Muslim. They are with the BJP," Adhikari said.
He alleged that the TMC government had attempted to create hurdles for Ram Navami processions and other Hindu religious celebrations, claiming that devotees had faced resistance during such events under the previous regime.
Alleging that Sanatani traditions had been violated during the TMC's rule, Adhikari claimed that scissors were used to inaugurate a Durga Puja celebration during Pitru Paksha.
He also alleged that stones had been thrown at Ram Navami processions from certain places of worship in the state under the previous government, which, he claimed, had repeatedly created obstacles for such rallies.
Adhikari further alleged that fundamentalist and militant forces had raised their heads during the TMC's 15-year rule in the state.
"Now you have a government which is committed to ensuring that Sanatani traditions, including the observance of Pitru Paksha, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Chhath Puja and Ram Navami, pass without any hurdles and that Jamaat elements are defeated," he said.
The chief minister also alleged that thousands of crores of rupees were being siphoned off from the state.
He cited the alleged construction of a palatial property worth Rs 10 crore in Falta by TMC strongman Jahangir Khan, popularly known as 'Pushpa'.
Adhikari claimed that Khan had been served notices seven times to vacate the building, allegedly constructed on government land, and asserted that it would not be allowed to remain.
He also referred to a market complex allegedly built by TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali and warned of action in the matter.
Responding to Adhikari's allegations, CPI(M) leader Satarup Ghosh said the Constitution guaranteed citizens the freedom to practise atheism but did not protect those accused of accepting bribes.
"We practise atheism, and there is nothing unlawful about it. But Adhikari was caught on camera allegedly accepting money, an act that constitutes a crime. He must answer for his actions," Ghosh said, alluding to the Narada scam.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)