In a strong show of dissent against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs staged a sit-in protest on the premises of the West Bengal Assembly. Led by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, around 30 BJP legislators gathered on the stairs of the Assembly hall, raising slogans like "Murti bhangar sarkar aar nei darkar" (We don’t want a government that cannot stop vandalism of Puja pandals).
This protest comes in response to the Mamata Banerjee-led government's alleged appeasement politics and its failure to protect Hindu religious sentiments. The BJP MLAs accused the government of allowing vandalism of Durga, Lakshmi, and Kartik idols while suppressing Hindu festivals like Saraswati Puja.
Illegal Suspension of BJP MLAs
The protest intensified a day after four BJP MLAs—Suvendu Adhikari, Agnimitra Paul, Biswanath Karak, and Bankim Chandra Ghosh—were suspended from the Assembly for the remainder of the budget session. The suspension, which BJP leaders termed as "illegal," was a retaliatory move by the Speaker for their vocal opposition to the state government’s discriminatory policies.
Suvendu Adhikari, while addressing the media, reaffirmed BJP’s commitment to fighting the injustice meted out to Hindus in Bengal. “We are not against any community; we are against this government’s appeasement policies that have resulted in the desecration of our religious idols and restrictions on Saraswati Puja,” he asserted. Adhikari vowed that BJP MLAs would continue their protest outside the Assembly, ensuring that people’s voices against TMC’s oppressive policies are heard.
Saraswati Puja Controversy
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul slammed Mamata Banerjee’s government, calling it "anti-Hindu." She alleged that "jihadi elements" were deliberately trying to disrupt Saraswati Puja celebrations across the state, and the government was turning a blind eye to such incidents. “Hindus are being cornered in West Bengal. We have to go to court even for performing a simple puja ritual. This is unacceptable,” she stated.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court intervened in the matter, directing police to provide security for Saraswati Puja at Jogesh Chandra Law College, following complaints of threats from an outsider named Mohammed Shabbir Ali. The court upheld the students' right to celebrate their religion, reinforcing BJP’s stand that Hindu rights are under attack in Bengal.
BJP’s Determination to Fight for Justice
Despite multiple suspensions and privilege motions against him, Suvendu Adhikari remained defiant. “I have been suspended several times, but I will not be silenced. TMC’s corruption, appeasement politics, and suppression of democracy must end,” he declared. BJP MLAs announced that they would conduct a parallel session outside the Assembly to highlight the injustices being faced by the majority community in the state.
The protest by BJP legislators marks yet another chapter in their relentless struggle against the Mamata government’s divisive policies. With growing resentment among the people, BJP remains determined to expose the TMC’s appeasement agenda and fight for the protection of Hindu rights in Bengal
