Mamata Banerjee blasts BJP on Nupur Sharma's Prophet remarks, says it practices politics of hatred

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (June 20, 2022) hit at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that the party is practicing the politics of provocation and hatred in the nation. “Politics of provocation, politics of hatred being practiced by BJP,” said CM Banerjee. Mamata also targeted the former BJP leader Nupur Sharma over the ongoing Prophet Muhammad controversy and said, “We took action when there was violence in the state. But how come this lady (Nupur Sharma) is still not arrested? I know she will not be arrested. She has sought time from Kolkata Police for four weeks she was to appear before the police today.”

While speaking at Legislative Assembly, West Bengal CM also targetted the ruling party over the newly announced Agnipath scheme and alleged that BJP is trying to fool people with schemes like 'Agnipath' ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

Terming the scheme as an insult to the armed forces, Banerjee also wondered whether the BJP plans to hire ‘Agniveer' soldiers as "watchmen" at its party offices, after their four-year service period.

"The BJP is trying to create its own armed cadre base through this scheme. What will they do after four years? The party wants to give arms into the hands of the youth," the TMC boss said in the assembly. "They had promised two crore jobs every year. But, now they are only fooling the people of the country in the name of these schemes,” she added.

Additionally, CM Banerjee also slammed the Centre over its development claims and said, “When we came to power, there was only 12,000 km road was there in the state. Our government has made 85,000 km roads.” “We wanted to build a bride connecting Gangasagar. I’ve been in touch with Nitin Gadkari since many years. Somehow it never materialised. I don’t blame Nitin Gadkari ji. He is not allowed to work,” she added. 

BJP MLAs raised slogans after CM Mamata Banerjee raises Nupur Sharma and Agnipath issue in the state assembly. The BJP legislative party also staged a walkout from the assembly protesting against Banerjee's remarks.