Why did you attend Eid jamaat at Red Road, where no women goes? Muslim MLA corners Mamata on 'appeasement'
Intense discussion in Bengal assembly
Who is communalising the politics in West Bengal? While TMC has blamed BJP for raking up religion in politics, Congress and Left have a different take on the matter. According to them, it is TMC which started the process of communal politics in the state in the recent history by brazely appeasing one particular community. BJP has only highlighted that to reap electoral dividends, the opposition in the state believes.
On Wednesday, the issue of appeasement became a hot topic for discussion in the West Bengal assembly. For a very long time, assembly proceedings in Bengal have attracted strong criticism with many key ministers not attending and answering opposition's questions. But with TMC's stocks rapidly diminishing, it looks like the party is more amenable to hearing the opposition's views.
One such MLA is Moinul Haque of Congress, a veteran leader from Farakka. He virtually managed to put the cat among the pigeons by asking Mamata Banerjee point blank about various perceived appeasement policies practiced by the West Bengal CM.
Moinul Haque asked that why arbitrarily allowance was granted from Imams and Muezzins while gatekeepers of other religions didn't get a dime. The decision taken during the first term of Mamata government had attracted severe criticism with High Court finally rejecting the dole given to Imams.
Haque was also severe at Mamata and criticised the fact that she attended Eid's jammat at Red Road,where normally women don't go.
This unprecedented attack came on the floor of the assembly on the same day when Mamata Banerjee extended the olive branch to the Congress and CPI(M) saying that all the forces need to come together to counter BJP.
BJP has been repeatedly accusing Mamata Banerjee of playing communal politics. Dilip Ghosh said in the floor of the Parliament that Mamata wants to make Bengal 'West Bangladesh'. Mamata Banerjee though has defended her outreach towards Muslims even tacitly accepting that they are her vote bank. She said after election defeat that she is willing to suffer kick from the cow that gives milk.
BJP won an unprecedented 18 seats in the assembly election and TMC which dreamt of winning 42 seats was reduced to 22 seats down 12 from 34. Post results, Mamata has blamed everyone including central forces, EVM, EC for BJP's Bengal win. However, DidI has also started taking corrective measures as she has finally started to crackdown on the rampant corruption brewing in the lower levels of administration. She has said that any leader acceptiing 'cut-money', which is basically commission would be put behind bars.