BJP accuses Trinamool government of neglecting minorities in Bengal

Accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress government of neglecting the state's minorities, the BJP's West Bengal unit on Thursday asked it to make public data on jobs offered to Muslim youths in the last six years.

"I want to see what she (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) and her government has done for the minorities -- what all measures she has taken in the last six years for the Muslims of the state," BJP West Bengal unit President Dilip Ghosh said at the party's minority convention here.

"Whenever elections approach, she tries to project herself as the messiah of the Muslims by branding the Bharatiya Janata Party (leaders) as demons," Ghosh added.

Pointing to various developmental projects the Narendra Modi-led central government had taken up since May 2014, Ghosh asked the state government to show the projects it has taken up for the welfare of minorities.

"The BJP is serious about the development of Muslims as it believes in "Sabka saath, sabka vikas (development for one and all)," he said.

BJP leader Mukul Roy echoed Ghosh, lashing out at the Chief Minister for not taking a stand on the 'triple talaq' case.

How is the triple talaq (bill) defective, she won't ever say. When a discussion was held on the bill in Parliament, her party remained silent," Roy claimed.

Banerjee had last week termed the triple talaq bill as "defective" and claimed that the impending legislation will put the Muslim women in trouble.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, seeks to criminalise instant divorce by uttering 'talaq' word thrice was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday amid an uproar. The Congress and other opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, had demanded that it be referred to a parliamentary panel for detailed consideration.

--IANS

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