West Bengal has witnessed repeated allegations of poll-related violence in past elections, with BJP workers blaming TMC supporters for attacks. In this context, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that if voted to power, the BJP would “settle the score with the goons.”
While addressing a public rally in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, Union Home Minister Shah also said that the BJP would find a “constitutional solution” to the Gorkha issue if voted to power in West Bengal, while also targeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the lack of cooperation.
“On April 23rd, you settle the score with Mamata, and we will settle the score with the goons… The Indian government has made a lot of efforts to resolve the Gorkha problem, but Didi does not cooperate. That is why we have formed an interlocutor,” he said.
“After the elections, the BJP will find a constitutional solution to the Gorkha problem… After the formation of the BJP government, the BJP will withdraw all the false political cases filed against the workers of political parties,” HM Shah added.
Shah was supposed to address a public meeting at Lebong Ground in Darjeeling on Wednesday morning. However, according to IANS, due to the bad weather, his helicopter could not land there, and hence a seven-minute video message was played at the public rally.
Shah said that as many as three proposals for meetings during the last one and a half years to discuss the issues of people in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong in North West Bengal, and the demands of the Gorkhas residing there were rejected by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government.
“I have talked about the meeting three times to discuss the hills and the Gorkhas issues in the last one and a half years. But Mamata Banerjee did not send any of her representatives to New Delhi to discuss the matter. She does not want the Gorkhas living in Darjeeling to get justice and their legitimate rights. But do not worry,” he said.
“After the Bharatiya Janata Party forms the government in the state on May 5, our first task will be to resolve the problems of the Gorkhas. All the complaints and cases filed against the Gorkhas over the Gorkhaland movement in the past will be withdrawn,” HM Shah added in the video message.
West Bengal is set for two phases of assembly polls on April 23 and 29, with the results to be announced on May 4.
