Will win more than 50% seats, bring in NRC: Dilip Ghosh
3 min read 25 Apr 2019, 09:54 PM ISTThe one-point programme of the BJP is to protect democracy because there is no democracy in West BengalWhenever the state government becomes unpopular, the ruling party tries to distract people by showing them Delhi
PremiumKOLKATA : In West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to win at least half the seats, says the party’s state president and Medinipur candidate Dilip Ghosh. Tackling corruption and implementing National Register of Citizens are on the party’s agenda if it wins, he said in an interview.
What are the main issues ahead of this election?
Restoration of democracy is the main agenda of this election. The one-point programme of the BJP is to protect democracy because there is no democracy in West Bengal. In the panchayat elections last year, people could not file nominations for over a third of the seats. Trinamool Congress members surrounded the office where nominations were to be filed for seven days. There was large-scale violence during panchayat elections. In 20,100 of 58,000 panchayat seats, nobody could file a nomination; over 42% of rural voters were unable to cast their votes. This is the situation in West Bengal. The second big issue is corruption and political violence. At least 42 BJP workers were killed and over 100 political killings have happened across the state. The police force is not allowed to investigate these cases. Yet, BJP won 7,000 seats in the panchayat election even after so much violence.
Why has violence become part of the political culture in West Bengal?
Political violence is the strategy of Communists. Wherever Communists have been in power, whether in India or other countries, they have used political violence. So we see political violence in West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala. This has become a culture in Bengal. The party that rules the state takes control of the police and state administration and makes it powerless. Even police personnel are beaten up in Bengal. People are threatened. Change should happen in Bengal as it did in Tripura.
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This is also part of the culture of West Bengal. Whenever the state government becomes unpopular, the ruling party tries to distract people by showing them Delhi. Even during the time of Jyoti Basu, it was said that he was a PM candidate. This is a ploy to misguide people and now Mamata Banerjee is using the same technique. The state government has lost credibility. Violence is being used as tool against the people of the state.
What is the biggest challenge for BJP in West Bengal?
The entire state machinery has collapsed. Left parties ruled for 34 years, then TMC for the past eight years. Education has collapsed here, exams do not happen on time. The entire country has seventh pay commission but in West Bengal there is fifth pay commission. Police are part of TMC cadre and are corrupt. Restoration of state administration and conducting free and fair elections are the biggest challenges in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee does not attend meetings with the PM, how will there be development? The chief secretary is not allowed to take part in meetings with the PM. Is West Bengal part of Bangladesh or Pakistan that government officers are not allowed to attend meetings with the PM? Anti-social and anti-national activities are taking place in West Bengal.
Should National Register of Citizens be implemented in West Bengal?
BJP is committed to allow NRC in the state. West Bengal has become a hotel for illegal migrants. Apart from illegal people coming from Bangladesh, now Rohingyas are coming. Bangladesh actors are allowed to campaign in West Bengal. NRC must happen in West Bengal. We will protect Hindus, who have come from Bangladesh because they were facing atrocities, why are Muslims coming? People who are minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan will get protection but Muslims who thought they could not live with Hindus in India got their country after Partition, now why are they coming to India? We will not allow illegal migrants in West Bengal.
What do you think are BJP’s chances in this election?
We had decided in 2016 that BJP will win 21 seats in West Bengal. Now the central leadership wants us to win 23 seats, and we will. People of West Bengal want change and we will ensure it happens. BJP will win more than 50% seats in West Bengal.
Do you fear violence during the Lok Sabha polls?
Violence has already started but the number of central forces is increasing. India is the world’s biggest democracy but people are not allowed to cast their votes in West Bengal. People have started coming out to vote. BJP will not let anyone stop people from voting, it is their democratic right.
