The BJP appears to be sending out somewhat mixed messages as party leaders in West Bengal continued to criticise the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, mere hours after Prime Minister Modi praised the Chief Minister for her efforts in combating the effects of Cyclone Amphan.
Last week, following the Cyclone that killed 86 people and displaced lakhs, Prime Minister Modi had undertaking an aerial survey of cyclone-hit West Bengal. Showing appreciation for the state government, Modi had spoken about how Bengal had to fight two wars -- one against COVID-19 and another against cyclone. He had said that the state has tried sufficiently under the leadership of Mamata to fight them.
"Have been seeing visuals from West Bengal on the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan. In this challenging hour, the entire nation stands in solidarity with West Bengal. Praying for the well-being of the people of the state. Efforts are on to ensure normalcy," the Prime Minister had tweeted on May 21, hours after the cyclone passed.
But party leaders in the eastern state appear to be in a less amenable mood.
"West Bengal government is focused on . @. West Bengal has emerged as a flashpoint between BJP and state government," tweeted ,
BJP leader and state in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya has been vocal in his criticism, accusing the state government of being focused on "scoring political brownie points even in the times of disaster".
"Mamata Banerjee will politicize everything, not let BJP leaders reach people and will herself do nothing to ease the pain. Her government has failed the state," Vijayvargiya said.
In another tweet on Monday, he called out the "embarrassing and objectionable" actions of a local administrator of the West Bengal government.
"See your work first! The 'lallu' administrator of a municipal corporation who could not even remove even a tree that fell on the road for 4 days, could not improve electricity, nor could arrange water. That person is comparing the work of the Army and NDRF personnel in Kolkata on a war footing with squirrels," he accused.
Also on Monday, Member of Parliament from Medinipur and State BJP President Dilip Ghosh posted a video where he could be seen working to remove a fallen tree alongside several others.
Earlier, Ghosh had appeared miffed after being stopped from travelling to another district to survey cyclone affected areas. The police had said that with the lockdown still in place, permission was needed to inter-district travel.
"The chief minister has given a speech wherein she requested all not to engage in politics, yet she and her ministers are always involved in nothing but petty politics. The chief minister always trying to make a publicity stunt, and when people are enraged by this she tries to emotionally blackmail them," Ghosh said on Monday.
But as Ghosh puts it, "The attempt of the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Hon'ble Governor to stand by the suffering masses of Bengal is being misinterpreted by the TMC leaders as the certificate of their work."
An ANI report quoted a senior BJP leader to add that the party was ready to "co-operate with the state government during this tough time".
"While it is reeling under the impact of COVID, Amphan has only aggravated the situation. But the state government is not ready. Our leaders' movement was halted and blocked by Mamata administration," the official said.
(With inputs from ANI)