Bengal: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee comparison to the deceased BJP leader Manas Saha to a ‘dead dog’ during an election campaign in Bhowanipore Friday drew heavy criticism from the BJP leaders. The remarks were made a day after the state BJP leadership tried to enter Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat with the body of Manas Saha.
National in-charge of BJP's Information & Technology and co-in charge West Bengal Amit Malviya lashed out at CM Banerjee. In a tweet on Saturday, Malviya said: "Shameful that Mamata Banerjee equates the body of Shri Manas Saha, a BJP candidate, who succumbed to injuries sustained during post-poll violence to the rotting carcass of a dog. As if overseeing the goriest post-poll violence wasn’t enough, she reaffirms her insensitivity to it."
Addressing the public in the 71st ward of Bhawanipore Vidhan Sabha constituency Friday, Banerjee said, “When I went for a meeting yesterday, I heard that they (BJP workers) were trying to enter my house with a dead body… You have the audacity to do this in front of my residence.”
Warning the state unit of BJP, Banerjee said, “What will happen if I send a dead dog to your house? How will it be? Don’t you think that I have the required machinery (manpower)? It will take one second to dump a rotten dog outside your house and you will not be able to eat for 10 days (because of the smell).”
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar took on Banerjee for her ‘insensitive’ comments. “These cannot be the words of a sensitive Chief Minister. A BJP leader has died and that too due to the attack carried out by the Trinamool Congress. She should have been sad. Instead, she warned to send the dead body of a dog. Highly shameful,” he emphasised.
Manas Saha, the deceased BJP leader, had contested unsuccessfully from the Magrahat Paschim Vidhan Sabha constituency during the 2021 West Bengal polls. He lost out to the rival TMC leader Gias Uddin Molla by 18,410 votes. Saha was allegedly attacked on May 2 (counting day) by TMC goons and resulted in severe head injuries. He was then hospitalised but succumbed to the injuries on September 22.
