“They want to make the country West Bengal…”: Yogi Adityanath slams TMC government over violence in panchayat polls

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 31 (ANI): Launching a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government over "large-scale violence" in West Bengal panchayat polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the civic polls were held peacefully in Uttar Pradesh and asked if Trinamool Congress “wants to make the country West Bengal”.

In an interview with ANI, Yogi Adityanath targeted opposition parties critical of the BJP government, saying they had been “quiet" over violence in West Bengal.  

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also slammed his critics, saying there had been “no riot, no curfew” in Uttar Pradesh for the past six years and all festivals were celebrated in peace.

The Chief Minister, who did not directly name Trinamool Congress, said there are people “who after coming to power want to control the entire system”.

“Opposition party workers were killed in West Bengal. What we saw in West Bengal, how could have opposition functioned? Workers of opposition parties were beaten. These things are eye-opener. No one speaks on this or comments on it. Everyone is quiet.”

Referring to allegations that many opposition candidates had been prevented from filing nominations in panchayat polls, Yogi Adityanath said that every individual has the right to fight elections.

“People who talk big, see how elections are to be held. There were elections to urban bodies, panchayats, assembly in Uttar Pradesh and panchayat elections were held in West Bengal. What happened?  Do they want to make the country (like) West Bengal, the way the TMC government did in West Bengal (and the UP government),” there is a difference,” he said.

“We did not resort to pretence or hypocrisy. Everybody has the right to fight elections and the person should get it. They can contest the election and if they are capable, they will win. If we capable, we will win, if we are not, we will lose and it should be like that.  If the person is an opponent and capable of winning, he should win. This is a democratic right. We cannot deprive him of this,” he added.

He also referred to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir.

“What happened in 1990 in Kashmir, everybody was silent, why this double-face?" he asked.

BJP has said that around 45 people were killed in violence related to West Bengal panchayat polls.  Repolling was held on 696 booths.  

The fact-finding team of BJP, which looked into the incidents of violence during the recent three-tier panchayat polls in the state, suggested a court-monitored probe and said that “bomb blast” cases should be referred to NIA.

Answering a query about his opponents trying to paint him as Chief Minister of a certain section of the population, Yogi Adityanath said there had been no riot in the state since he became Chief Minister.

He said riots kill and hurt people of all communities and if there are anti-social elements, they are a threat to women of all communities.

Yogi Adiyanath said the image of the state had been impacted due to the law and order situation in the state earlier.   

I am the Chief Minister of the state for more than six years, my party gave me the responsibility in March 2017 and not a single riot has taken place. You tell me when riots occur only Hindus die? Only Hindu's property gets burned? When riots occur then people die in both communities, the properties of both communities get burnt and daughters of both communities are unsafe from rogue elements in society, when the curfew is imposed then whole markets get affected,"   (ANI)