Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, blaming her government and party leadership for the recent outbreak of violence in Paschim Medinipur and accusing them of shielding those responsible.
“Hindus were protected only because the BSF intervened; otherwise jihadis wouldn’t have spared them,” Ghosh told the media, crediting the Border Security Force (BSF) for preventing further escalation of violence. He suggested that the state administration failed to act in time, and without central security intervention, the situation could have worsened.
Ghosh alleged that the violence was not spontaneous but incited by TMC leaders, adding, “It’s your (Mamata Banerjee’s) MLAs and leaders who incited the violence.”
He also expressed concern over Mamata Banerjee’s meetings with religious leaders, particularly Imams, stating that “a few of those involved in those meetings were also involved in instigating the unrest.”
In a direct challenge to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Ghosh demanded, “If you have courage, allow a CBI inquiry.” He stressed the need for a neutral, transparent investigation to uncover the facts and hold the real perpetrators accountable.
This latest outburst comes amid escalating political tensions in West Bengal following incidents of communal violence, with the BJP consistently accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of appeasement politics and failing to protect minority and majority communities alike.
Earlier, on May 5, Ghosh had also slammed Banerjee for delaying her visit to violence-hit Murshidabad, questioning her priorities.
“She held meetings with Imams, attended a temple inauguration, but ignored the plight of Hindus in Murshidabad and Malda who were being displaced, their homes burned,” Ghosh said. “Now, she’s going after 3–4 days, by which time all evidence has been tampered with.”
Ghosh alleged that state government officials began repairing homes and temples soon after the violence, potentially obscuring critical evidence, while the Chief Minister remained publicly silent.
The BJP continues to push for central intervention and a formal CBI investigation, arguing that law and order in West Bengal has deteriorated under TMC rule, particularly in communally sensitive regions.