West Bengal BJP MP from Bisnupur, Soumitra Khan, made a controversial statement to the press referring to intellectuals and imminent personalities coming out against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizenship (NRC) as 'dogs' of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Khan went on to say that despite knowing the facts about CAA and NRC, people are opposing it and continuing their protests. The comments were made on the sidelines of a programme held in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
“People who consider themselves as being intellectuals don’t speak up during the Park Street and Kamdhuni incidents. They are nothing but Mamata Banerjee’s dogs who are now protesting against CAA. They have either not read the law or are staging a dharna despite knowing facts,” he said.
Khan was referring to the Park Street gang rape case in February 2012 where a middle aged woman was sexually harassed in a moving car in the heart of the city.
The other case refers to the Kamduni gang rape case where a 20-year-old college student was abducted and gang-raped in North 24 Parganas district.
Khan who had won the Bishnupur seat on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket in the previous Lok Sabha elections, went on to retain his seat after switching camps to contest and win on a BJP ticket.
These comments come a day after BJP leader Dilip Ghosh who was reinstated as BJP State President referred to intellectuals protesting against CAA as creatures, devils and parasites.
“Some creatures called intellectuals have come out on the streets of Kolkata. These parasitic intellectuals, who live and enjoy out of other's pockets, where were they when our predecessors were tortured in Bangladesh?” said Dilip Ghosh.
There have been massive nationwide protests against CAA, NRC and National Population Register (NPR), bringing out common citizens, students and intellectuals on the streets to oppose the move. Political parties in the Opposition camp too have been protesting the move with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee being vocal and lashing out at the ruling BJP at the Centre on several occasions.
