India
Amit Shah faced several hindrances for this rally in Bengal. Initially, Kolkata didn’t give permission for the rally, but when BJP threatened with legal proceeding, they came around
The whole nation was waiting for the Bengal rally on August 11, where BJP President Amit Shah was to take Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee head on, in her own turf.
Poriborton (change) is what BJP is looking at. Ironically, in 2011, when Banerjee’s TMC toppled the left government after 34 years, she based her campaign on this same ‘poriborton’.
Amit Shah faced several hindrances for this rally in Bengal. Initially, Kolkata Police didn’t give permission for the rally, but when BJP threatened with legal proceeding, they came around.
However, the rally was allowed at a smaller venue with certain restrictions.
According to an eye witness, there was a seas of people and the entire stretch of the Mayo Road was brought to a complete standstill.
A rally-goer, identified as Mrittunjay Rana, was seen waiting patiently in the scorching afternoon with a BJP flag tied around his head.
When MyNation asked him what made him come here he said, “So that the youth get jobs and don’t die out of hunger”.
Another man in his thirty also stressed on this issue.
While speaking in the rally, Amit Shah declared, “I will go to each and every districts and uproot TMC”. The crowd burst in to cheer for this.
Given the fact that Shah is a master politician, he soon sensed how people are uncomfortable with minority appeasement and illegal Bangladeshi intrusion in Bengal.
Shah said, “People change. The same Mamata supported the National register of Citizen (NRC) few years back and now she objects NRC. I want to ask you all if the illegal immigrants are not a national security threat? Shall they not be thrown out?” At this point, the crowd said in unison, ‘phekna chahiye’ (They should be thrown out).
Shah also used this opportunity to hit out at the human rights organisations for arguing against NRC.
“Those who argue for human rights of illegal Bangladeshis, are they not concerned about human rights of bengalis living here?” he said.
Political violence has been a plaguing issue in Bengal, something MyNation has highlighted in many of its reports. Very recently, two of the BJP workers were allegedly murdered in Purulia, a district where BJP has made inroads.
Shah challenged the political violence saying, “Previously Rabindra Sangeet used to be heard in Bengal. Now sound of bomb blasts has replaced that”.
Religious persecution that has been a complaint of many in Bengal was touched upon. Shah roared, “Durga Puja Visarjan is not allowed, Saraswathi puja is not being allowed. What’s happening? Next time it happens BJP cadres will march to your state secretariat”.
Shah dropped his last bomb when he mentioned Swami Vivekananda while demanding ‘poriborton’ of the ‘poriborton’.
“Swami Vivekananda, Ram Krishna and Chaitanya's land is today crying for a poriborton (change). We will uproot TMC and throw them out”, he said animatedly.
Union Minister Babul Supriyo, MP SS Alhuwalia, BJPs Bengal in charge Kailash Vijaivargiya, State President Dilip Ghosh, National Secretary Rahul Sinha and BJYM (The organization that arranged this massive rally) Chief Poonam Mahajan also attended the rally that in a way set the tone for expected change in the polity of Bengal.
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