Congress corners PM Modi over MLA Raja Singh's 'Gujarat riots' shocker

New Delhi [India], July 09 (ANI): With Bharatiya Janata Party MLA H Raja Singh calling on the Hindu community in West Bengal to respond the way Hindus did in Gujarat in 2002, the Congress Party said that by mentioning Gujarat riots, the former is trying to claim that Prime Minister Modi government's persecution in Gujarat was justified. "The BJP is trying to provoke riots and violence in Bengal. BJP's Bengal unit is fighting with the TMC. The statements by Raja Singh are shameful. By mentioning Gujarat riots, he is trying to claim that Modi government's persecution in Gujarat was justified," Congress leader Meem Afzal told ANI. Another grand old party leader Tom Vadakkan said that such statements clearly indicate the politicization of situation in Bengal. "The communal agenda of the BJP is out in the open. This clearly indicates the politicization of situation in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee is right when she says there is being interference. Whatever is happening in Darjeeling, North 24 Parganna is unfortunate," Vadakkan said. BJP leader Singh waded into controversy after saying that, "Today, Hindus are not safe in the West Bengal state. Hindus in Bengal should respond to people involved in communal violence as Hindus in Gujarat did. Otherwise, soon Bengal will turn into Bangladesh." Singh said. He also blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Government for ongoing tensions in the states by alleging that the latter is supporting those who are spreading communalism. "The state government is supporting those who are spreading communalism. I want to appeal to those who are secular that if you want Bengal's Hindus to be safe and secure then you have to be more aware. If you failed to attain security in the state then you will also face the consequences like Hindus in Kashmir faced, will also be banished like Kashmiri Hindus," he added. Yesterday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she "will ask for judicial inquiry into incidents at Baduria and Basirhat area. "For over a month there has been unrest in the hills. Centre is not cooperating to maintain law and order in Darjeeling," she said. Violent clashes erupted in Basirhat area of the district after a Class X student updated a controversial picture on Facebook. The boy was later detained by police, but the violence hasn't abated. Fresh tension was reported in Basirhat area days after too forcing the police to lob tear gas shells and resort to baton charge even as the state government decided to ban some organisations for allegedly instigating people. (ANI)