Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 12 (ANI): BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has claimed that the efforts of the BJP government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are towards the promotion of a “true secular country”, adding that the country is currently suffering from “pseudo-secularism”.
He launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that the TMC was mired in corruption, and pitched the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections as a decisive choice between two contrasting futures.
Speaking to the media, the MP said that India has long suffered from a distorted understanding of secularism. “India is suffering from pseudo-secularism. Name a single secular country in the world where the Constitution recognises ‘sharia’. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are making India a true secular country,” he said.
Turning to the political stakes in West Bengal, the BJP MP framed the forthcoming Assembly elections as a choice between two futures.
“This election in Bengal is a choice between two futures. One, where some parts of Bengal practically become Bangladesh, or two, where Bengal moves forward into the golden age along with India’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, “Trivedi said.
Commenting on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the I-PAC office in Kolkata, Trivedi alleged deep-rooted corruption within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. “The West Bengal government is steeped in corruption. Cash was recovered from Partha Chatterjee and his associates,” he said, referring to earlier corruption cases involving a former state minister, Partha Chatterjee.
Trivedi also questioned Mamata Banerjee’s conduct during the ED operation, calling it unprecedented. “Mamata Banerjee’s panicked reaction during the ED raid… it is unprecedented in Indian history for a Chief Minister to go there herself. She didn’t rely on her police or her staff. This shows that there are unknown secrets in that green file,” he alleged.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a plea in the Supreme Court alleging that the CM Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government was interfering with and obstructing the agencies’ search operations.
Meanwhile, the ED has sought directions for a CBI probe into the matter.
On Thursday, ED raids were conducted at the Kolkata headquarters of the Indian Political Action Committee and at the residence of its director, Pratik Jain.
Anticipating that the ED may approach the Supreme Court alleging interference in its search operations, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has filed a caveat in the apex court, seeking that no order be passed without hearing the state.
Separately, the West Bengal government has filed a plea in the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the ED seized all data and digital records from I-PAC’s office. (ANI)