West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the party legislators’ remark alleging her links with the illegal Bangladeshi migrants. Rejecting the allegations that she has links with terrorists and fundamentalists in Bangladesh, Banerjee said that she would resign if the BJP MLAs could prove these claims.

While addressing the assembly, Banerjee criticized BJP MLAs for making “baseless remarks” against her and stated that she would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lodge a complaint about such claims. “Freedom of speech doesn’t allow them to give hate speech and divide people,” Banerjee stated, emphasising her belief in secularism and the peaceful coexistence of all communities.

She also accused the BJP of exploiting religion for political gain, asserting, “The BJP is using religion to further their political interests.” Referring to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the chief minister emphasized that her government’s efforts had maintained peace and harmony in West Bengal despite the turbulence in the neighbouring country. 

Reacting to the stampedes and deaths at Mahakumbh and the New Delhi Railway Station, Banerjee said that Maha Kumbh has turned into ‘Mrityu Kumbh’. She alleged that the true death toll at the mega gathering has been suppressed. “Maha Kumbh has turned into ‘Mrityu Kumbh’. They (the BJP government) have hidden hundreds of bodies to bring down the toll,” Banerjee claimed while addressing the Bengal Assembly.

However, the BJP leaders protested against her remark and said that the CM should apologise. 

At least 30 people died and 60 were injured in a stampede in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj last month while 18 people lost their lives in a recent stampede at the overcrowded New Delhi railway station.