West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday said that the law and order situation in the state is worsening and it was gradually becoming a mafia-ruled state like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“West Bengal is slipping into a Mafia-raj like situation like in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The way a councillor was shot dead in front of a police station by using a stengun is shameful,” Ghosh said, according to PTI. He was referring to the killing of BJP leader Manish Shukla at Titagarg in North 24 Parganas district.
Assembly election in the state is due next year. Ghosh also wondered whether free and fair polls would be possible if such an anarchic situation continued, PTI added.
Uttar Pradesh is ruled by a BJP government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Protests have erupted across the country over the death and alleged forced cremation of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras last week and questions have been raised on the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of the case.
BJP is also in power in Bihar in alliance with the JD(U). BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi is the deputy chief minister in Bihar.
In response to Ghosh, Trinamool Congress said it is good that he accepted that Mafia-raj existed in those two states where the BJP is in power.
“It is good that he has accepted that Mafia raj exists in BJP-ruled UP and Bihar. We are happy that at least for once, he has spoken the truth,” senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim was quoted as saying by PTI.
People on Twitter thanked Ghosh for “saying the truth”.
Meanwhile, some others said that Ghosh’s statement was a protest to express his unhappiness about Mukul Roy’s promotion. Roy was promoted to the post of National Vice President in September.