Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Monday took on West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh over his comments that his party “shot like dogs those who damaged public property”, and termed him “very irresponsible”.

Addressing a public meeting in Bengal’s Nadia on Sunday, Ghosh had criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not taking any action against people who destroyed public properties stating “they are her voters”.

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He further went on to rant that the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka have “shot these people like dogs”.

“Didi’s (Mamata Banerjee) police didn’t take action against the people who destroyed public properties as they are her voters. Our govt in UP, Assam and Karnataka has shot these people like dogs,” Dilip Ghosh said.

“You will come here, eat our food, stay here and damage public properties. Is it your zamindari? We will bash you with lathis, shoot you, and put you in jail,” the Bengal BJP chief added.

In Bengal, trains, buses and railways stations had been torched and vandalised, and roads and train tracks blockaded by the protesters soon after the legislation was passed in the Parliament.

Reacting to the incident, Babul Supriyo called the Bengal leader “very irresponsible”. He further stated that the BJP has nothing to do with what Dilip Ghosh has allegedly said.

“It is a figment of his imagination and BJP Governments in Uttar Pradesh, Assam have NEVER EVER resorted to shooting people for whatever reason whatsoever. Very irresponsible of Dilip da to have said what he said,” he said.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao has accused the BJP leader of using the “language of a bully” to suppress people.

“Mr @DilipGhoshBJP, if that is the case why didn’t Delhi Police not shoot like dogs the ABVP/BJP goons who were running amuck in #JNU. The language you use is the language of a bully, out to subjugate people with the might of the government machinery (sic),” he tweeted.

Ghosh had earlier said that the National Register of Citizens exercise was needed in India, and it should be first carried out in West Bengal.

This came even as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned the Bharatiya Janata Party against using force in the BJP-ruled states to suppress protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and NRC.