BJP indulging in communal politics, says TMC MLA post 'mini Pakistan' remark

Trinamool Congress MLA and West Bengal cabinet minister Bobby Firhad Hakim on Saturday countered the Bharatiya Janata Party's criticism of him with regard to his "mini-Pakistan" remark, saying that the latter is wholeheartedly indulging in a communal brand of politics.

"The BJP is doing communal politics. I will not indulge in that.I will not answer. I will not indulge in any communalism. It is against the policy of my country," Hakim told the media here after casting his vote for the fifth phase of West Bengal assembly elections.

Hakim triggered a controversy, which might cost dearly to the party in the ongoing assembly elections in West Bengal.

According to a report in Pakistani daily The Dawn, the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs in Mamata Banerjee's Cabinet was taking a Pakistani journalist for a stroll and addressed the Garden Reach area as 'mini-Pakistan'.

The BJP earlier today took strong exception to the remarks and urged the electorate not to vote for Hakim.

BJP leader Bengal Siddharth Nath Singh said, "This is unfortunate. Bobby Hakim was involved in several controversies even in the past, he is a close aide of Mamata Banerjee. We condemn this and urge the electorate not to give a single vote to Bobby Hakim.