Do not think that coming to power gives you an authority to pull down statues of Marx, Lenin, Gandhiji, Netaji and Swami Vivekananda, says Mamata Banerjee
The demolition of Lenin's statue in Belonia college square in Tripura on Monday by BJP activists and the subsequent glorification of the deed by some BJP leaders including Ram Madhav, governor Tathagata Roy and Subramaniam Swamy led to both outcries denouncing it and emboldening many of repeating the act elsewhere.
The ripple effect reached even Tamil Nadu where BJP national secretary H Raja threatened to raze down the statue of social reformer Periyar in Tamil Nadu just like Russian Communist revolutionary Lenin's statue earning the wrath of Tamil Nadu political parties which sought his arrest for inciting violence.
This led to several BJP leaders, including its youth wing vice president SG Suryah, threatening to pull down Periyar's statues in the state. "BJP successful completed the fall of Lenin in #Tripura! Can't wait for the fall of EV Ramasamy statues in Tamil Nadu. Good Night all," Suryah tweeted.
While DMK working president MK Stalin sought the arrest of BJP leader Raja under the Goondas Act for his brazen attempt to incite violence, MDMK general secretary Vaiko warned that whoever touches Periyar's statue, their hands would be chopped off.
Still not able to come to terms with the huge defeat of popular Manik Sarkar government, the CPM announced country-wide protests. "The violence in Tripura shows the actual character of RSS... who use the instrument of political violence for political gains," said party general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Taken aback by the BJP's punishing success in Tripura, its NDA partner Shiv Sena, that has no love for the Communists, joined the opposition parties to denounce the act as "frenzied behavior" and sought action from Union home minister Rajnath Singh.
"BJP has already won the ideological battle in Tripura, so what are they going to achieve by this frenzied behaviour? Even Shiv Sena fought communists in Mumbai, but we never defiled or vandalised their offices or their memorials," said Sanjay Raut, senior Sena leader.
Sworn enemy of the Left, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, too sided with the CPI (M) saying she would not tolerate such an act. "If I have been voted to power, it does not mean that my duty is to kill people. Do not this that coming to power gives you an authority to pull down statues of Marx, Lenin, Gandhiji, Netaji and Swami Vivekananda. We will not tolerate this. We have fought the CPI(M) and when we defeated the 34-year regime of CPI(M), our slogan was 'Badla noi bodol chai' (we want change not revenge)," said Mamata, addressing a public meeting in Bankura.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Lenin statue")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}