Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday strongly criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling it a thoroughly anti-Bengali and communal political force. Addressing a motion on the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states during the final day of the West Bengal Assembly’s special session, she said, BJP is anti-Bengal, anti-Bengali, anti-lower caste, and even anti-Hindu. We need a change in West Bengal—to remove BJP first from the state and then from the country. Their exit bell has already rung.

During her speech, BJP legislators protested and shouted slogans from the Well of the House, objecting to the suspension of the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, on Tuesday. Mamata Banerjee accused them of disturbing her speech because she spoke in Bengali and called their behaviour like Ravana, describing it as evil. She also claimed that BJP is corrupt, steals votes, and cannot win elections in West Bengal.

Commenting on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s GST revision, she stated that it was the pressure from her that led the Union government to take the decision. The BJP has sold the country; it is almost time for their exit, she added.

Earlier on Thursday, five BJP legislators, including Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Mihir Goswami, Ashok Dinda, and Bankim Ghosh, were suspended from the House within two hours of the session, following the earlier suspension of Suvendu Adhikari. Despite repeated instructions from Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay to stop protesting at the Well, the BJP legislators continued their demonstration during the Chief Minister’s speech.

Mamata’s remarks reflected her determination to defend Bengali interests and target the BJP’s influence in both the state and national politics.