In a hard-hitting remark, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged the communal violence in Delhi was “state-sponsored genocide” and the BJP was trying to replicate the “Gujarat model of riots” across the country.
Addressing a TMC event in Kolkata, Mamata also condemned those who raised the controversial “goli maro…” slogan while heading to Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in the city on Sunday.
“I am deeply pained by the killing of innocent people in Delhi. I think it was genocide… the violence in Delhi was state-sponsored,” she said.
Banerjee claimed it was due to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that “so many people were killed” in the Delhi violence. “Amit Shah should keep this in mind”.
She said the BJP should apologise for the Delhi riots.
“The BJP is trying to replicate the Gujarat model of riots across India, including in West Bengal,” the chief minister added.
On Sunday, a group of men holding BJP flags were heard chanting “Desh desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro sa**** ko” (shoot the traitors of the nation) on their way to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally at Shahid Minar.
Meanwhile, Amit Shah on Sunday targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a rally to launch BJP’s ‘Aar Noi Annay’ (no more atrocity) campaign saying that ‘sonar Bangla’ (golden Bengal) is not possible as long as Mamata Banerjee government remains in power.
He also accused Banerjee of “triggering riots” and “burning trains” to oppose the Citizenship Act.
The back and forth between the political leaders comes days after Mamata and Amit Shah shared lunch at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home on the sidelines of the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting in Bhubaneswar.
According to reports, Mamata Banerjee had raised the issue of Delhi violence during the meeting.