KOLKATA: Use of violence and intimidation because of political differences is violation of rights, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.
“Taking part in political activities is our democratic right. But if violence and intimidation is used to stop someone because of political differences, then it is violation of rights,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister was virtually addressing the ‘Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022’ organised at Shreedham Thakurnagar in West Bengal’s Thakurbari on the occasion of the 211th birth anniversary of Shree Shree Harichand Thakur.
There were allegations of massive post-poll violence in West Bengal after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept the 2021 Assembly polls and returned to power in May 2021 for the third time.
PM’s statement comes a day after five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators were suspended from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. On Monday a fight broke out between the Trinamool Congress and BJP MLAs on the floor of the Assembly.
“It is our duty to oppose violence and anarchy in the society. To remove corruption from the system we have to increase awareness of our society. We must raise our voice if we find that someone is being harassed. This is our duty towards the society and the nation,” he said.
A delegation of MPs from West Bengal is scheduled to meet Modi on Thursday to apprise him about the alleged deterioration of law-and-order in the state. West Bengal governor has sent a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee inviting her for an interaction over the alleged deterioration of law-and- order in the state.
{{/usCountry}}A delegation of MPs from West Bengal is scheduled to meet Modi on Thursday to apprise him about the alleged deterioration of law-and-order in the state. West Bengal governor has sent a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee inviting her for an interaction over the alleged deterioration of law-and- order in the state.
{{/usCountry}}The TMC, however, has rubbished the allegations. “The law-and-order situation in West Bengal is better than most states. The chief minister has taken stern actions against whatever stray incidents have taken place,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
The Prime Minister also urged the people to remember the Nation First policy and to make the mantra of vocal for local a part of their lives
“Before taking any step we should think about the betterment of the Nation. There is nothing greater than the nation,” he said.
He said that the Matua community has always been aware of its duties and that he expects the Matuas to help in the development of a better nation.
The Matua community is a scheduled caste group that spreads over at least 70 assembly seats in the state, comprising at least seven Lok Sabha constituencies.
Since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, both the BJP and the TMC have outdone each other to woo the Matuas ahead of elections. All India Matua Mahasangha leader Shantanu Thakur is a BJP MP and union minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways.
The political orientation of the community is largely influenced by the Thakur family as the sect was founded by Harichand Thakur.
West Bengal has India’s second-highest SC population after Uttar Pradesh. The SCs comprise 23.51% of the state’s population. While the Koch-Rajbanshi community of north Bengal is the largest scheduled caste group in the state, Matuas form the second-largest SC community.