Why intelligentsia silent on Malda, Purnia violence, asks BJP leader

Indore, Jan 11: Terming the violence in Malda and Purnia as a "matter of concern" for the country, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijaywargiya today questioned "silence" of those who had returned their awards in protest against "growing intolerance" in the country.

"The violent incidents that took place in Malda (West Bengal) and Purnia (Bihar) recently are a matter of concern for the country. Why those returning their government awards in the name of intolerance are silent on the issue now," Vijaywargiya, BJP general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal, said while interacting with reporters here last night.

In an apparent reference to Bollywood actors Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan whose statements on intolerance had caused a flutter, Vijaywargiya asked, "Will the actors, who dance to earn money and comment on intolerance will speak against incidents in Malda and Purnia".

Violence had broken out at Kaliachak in Malda on December 3 over an alleged remark of a right wing leader, following which protesters had set fire to a police station and damaged vehicles.

In Purnia district, a mob had ransacked a police station and torched several vehicles parked there during a protest against alleged blasphemous comments by a leader of a right-wing organisation last week.

Vijaywargiya said the media has failed to give even 10 per cent of total coverage to these incidents compared to what it had given to the Dadri incident in which a Muslim man was lynched for storing beef. "We expect from the media to expose those faces who are roaming by keeping law into their own pockets," he said.

The BJP leader alleged that workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal along with the anti-social elements, facing serious charges of smuggling cows, opium and fake Indian currency, were involved in the Malda violence. "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is stating that Malda incident was not a communal incident.

Even for a second, if we agree to what she was stating, but will she answer questions on the involvement of her party workers in the Malda incident," he said.

When asked if the BJP will raise the Malda violence in upcoming Assembly election in West Bengal, Vijaywargiya replied in negative.

"Though we will not raise the issue of Malda in coming assembly elections in West Bengal, but the people of that state should reflect if WB will become a 'mini Bangladesh' if their CM stands with those who were involved in the violence," he said.

PTI