‘Insensitive’, ‘look at own states’: BJP vs TMC on Mamata Banerjee's dandiya post rain deaths
BJP leader Amit Malviya called Mamata Banerjee “insensitive” over her dandiya at the pandal after the loss of life in the rain.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday joined celebrations at a Durga Puja pandal in south Kolkata's Chakraberia, breaking into a few steps of Dandiya. But that has sparked a political row, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioning the timing of the move as it came just after at least 11 people died in the capital due to unprecedented rain.
BJP leader Amit Malviya called Banerjee “insensitive” over her dandiya at the pandal after the loss of life in the rain.
"Not even 24 hours since Kolkata was drowning and 11 people were electrocuted to death, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee found it appropriate to indulge in revelry and play dandiya during a Durga Puja inauguration in Bhawanipur's Chakraberia. How insensitive can one be? Mamata Banerjee is the very epitome of it," Malviya said in a post on social media platform X.
The BJP’s official handle also targeted Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress government, calling the electrocution tragedy their “ complete failure”.
"Barely 24 hours have passed since 10 Bengalis lost their lives due to electrocution, a tragedy that happened because of the complete failure of Mamata Banerjee and her government. And yet, look at her, instead of mourning with the people of Bengal, she is out playing dandiya," read a post from the BJP's official handle.
The post further alleged that Mamata Banerjee “is not even pretending to care anymore” over her dandiya dance.
"She is not even pretending to care anymore. Her actions show that she has become a dictator who believes she is above accountability and that her PR will manage everything, and the remaining few journalists on her payroll will cover up for her!!" the post read.
Trinamool Congress hits back at the BJP
The ruling TMC hit back at the BJP, with party leader Kunal Ghosh reminding about the rains in Delhi, Mumbai and other BJP-ruled cities and the waterlogging problem there.
Ghosh said Kolkata saw a cloudburst for the first time, and with the CM’s efforts, the municipal corporation, police, and the emergency department brought the city back to normal.
"This is the first time that Kolkata has had cloudburst rain. Which was in a record amount, which is 20 per cent of the entire year's rainfall. With the Chief Minister's efforts, the Municipal Corporation, Police, Emergency Department has brought the metropolitan area back to normal, he said.
Ghosh asked why the opposition was critical of CM Mamata Banerjee when the situation had returned to normal in most places.
"The situation has returned to normal in most places. Then, why is the opposition criticising the Chief Minister? What happens to their Delhi, Mumbai, and Surat when waterlogging occurs? If there is such terrible rain, the opposition will play cheap politics here, too. First, look at your own states," he added.
The CM had pointed out how people suffered during the recent rains in Delhi and Mumbai.
"How many people have faced disasters in Delhi and Mumbai? Such rain has never happened in Kolkata before. This is more than in 1978, the highest record. It was high tide till yesterday. We were able to clean all the water within seven hours," she had said, hinting at how her government has tackled the waterlogging problem compared to the Left Front era.
With just two days to go before the Durga Puja festivities begin, Banerjee has been on an inauguration spree. On Wednesday alone, she opened around 30 puja pandals.
