Kolkata: Castigating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her attacks on his party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, senior BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad Tuesday described her regime in West Bengal as “scam Bengal” and said good governance was the biggest casualty.
Condemning Banerjee for her comments that Modi “should be taken to jail with a rope around his waist” for his remarks on Bangladeshi infiltrators, Prasad said action should be initiated against Banerjee who was the first to raise the issue of illegal immigrants in parliament.
“Her remarks which we strictly condemn are indicative of her desperation, desperation on the prospect of BJP coming to power with a huge mandate. On the other hand she was the first to raise the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators in parliament. Logically action then should also be taken against her,” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader told media persons here.
Addressing a rally at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas, a few km from the Indo-Bangladesh border, Banerjee had said “He should be arrested and sent behind bars with a rope tied around his waist”.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief, has launched a series of scathing attack against Modi demanding his arrest after he warned Bangladeshi infiltrators to keep their baggage ready post May 16.
Prasad also sought to defend Modi’s views saying he was talking about infiltrators and not those who are driven out their country.
“He has endorsed what the Supreme Court has said. The court in two of its judgments has observed that Bangladeshi infiltrators are a threat to the integrity and security of the country, as well as their infiltration was akin to aggression on India,” Prasad said quoting the judgments.
“We are ready to give shelter to those who are attacked and driven out of Bangladesh, but we cannot allow people to consider India to be a guest house. National security is non-negotiable,” he said.
Prasad attacked the Banerjee regime over the Saradha scam and the irregularities involving recruitment of teachers and said the state has turned “scam Bengal where good governance was the biggest casualty”.
He also said BJP when it comes to power will ensure a CBI probe into the Saradha scam provided the state government formally asks for it.
“According to the procedures, CBI probe can be initiated only if the state government writes for it or the court orders it. ASo if she formally asks for it, we ensure the probe will be impartial,” he said.
He also denied that the BJP was going soft on the Trinamool and asserted that no doors were open for the Banerjee led party.
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