Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 2 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and MLA Kunal Ghosh on Monday criticised the BJP's 'Save Democracy' march in Kolkata, calling it a "panic reaction" and an "own goal" following the Opposition's show of unity at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.
Addressing reporters, Ghosh asserted that democracy was "not safe in the hands of the BJP in Bengal" and alleged that democratic norms had been undermined during elections in the state through the misuse of central machinery.
"The rally that Nitin Nabin and other BJP leaders are holding in Kolkata is a panic reaction—an own goal. They are using the slogan 'Save Democracy.' By doing so, they are effectively admitting that there is no democracy in Bengal... 'Save Democracy' is our slogan. Given how the elections were conducted in Bengal and what has transpired since—with democracy being, in effect, murdered—'Save Democracy' is our rallying cry," Ghosh said.
Alleging electoral irregularities and the misuse of central forces during the polls, the TMC leader also targeted the Election Commission, claiming that genuine voters had been disenfranchised.
"The entire country has become aware of the theft of votes in Bengal—how genuine voters were kept away, how central forces were misused, and how votes were hijacked. The whole nation has woken up to the actions of Gyanesh Kumar and his team," Ghosh alleged.
Ghosh further asserted that the display of opposition solidarity at the Ramlila Maidan rally had rattled the saffron party.
"A united India stood together at Ramlila Maidan, and now, in a state of panic, the BJP has ended up scoring an own goal. Democracy is not safe in the hands of the BJP in Bengal," he remarked.
The war of words between the TMC and the BJP has escalated significantly following the BJP's street demonstrations in Kolkata alleging state-sponsored violence and the suppression of democratic rights under the ruling dispensation.
Earlier, BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday trained guns at the Opposition and said the people of Kolkata had already rejected anarchy and voted for change while addressing the party's 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' march in the city.
"Here, in Kolkata, I saw that the people of Kolkata had wiped out anarchy on 4th May itself. Mamata didi was ousted, and West Bengal is 'BJPmay'. I saw no sign of anarchy today. But a few elements are still alive. They were at Ramlila Maidan yesterday. They were expressing despair of their loss. But people of the country will respond to them, just like the people of West Bengal responded to them," Nabin said at the rally.
Nabin said leaders of the bloc who had been defeated in their home states had gathered in Delhi, and referred to the recent electoral outcomes in West Bengal, Delhi and Bihar.
"People of the INDI bloc, who were defeated in their respective states, had gathered in Delhi to cry. The manner in which TMC was wiped out in Bengal, Congress and AAP were wiped out in Delhi. In Bihar too, RJD was completely wiped out," he said.
Taking a direct swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Nabin said the Congress leader should learn from his mistakes.
"I tell Rahul Gandhi - learn from your mistakes. Otherwise, in the days to come, there would be no one left in the country to take the name of Congress," he said. (ANI)
"Democracy not safe in BJP's hands in Bengal": TMC's Kunal Ghosh hits back at BJP's Kolkata march
