Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Nov 15: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday accused the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government led by Mamata Banerjee of favouring one particular minority community while neglecting others.
Speaking at an event organised for the Sikh community ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Adhikari alleged that the previous government viewed minority welfare from a narrow perspective.
"For the Trinamool Congress and the former Chief Minister, only one particular community represented the entire minority community. But Sikhs, Jains and Parsis are also part of the minority community," Adhikari told reporters.
Praising the Sikh community for its nationalist sentiments, the Chief Minister said his government treats all religious minorities equally. He alleged that the previous regime had focused exclusively on Muslims in the name of minority welfare.
The Trinamool Congress strongly rejected the allegations and defended Mamata Banerjee's record in office, claiming that the state government's development initiatives for the Sikh community were well documented.
"Mamata Banerjee always believed in the unity of all religions and followed that path. She never indulged in divisive politics, as is being done by her successor," a TMC spokesperson said.
Political analysts observed that Adhikari's remarks reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party's broader political narrative of accusing opposition parties of minority appeasement.
In the recent Assembly elections, Adhikari defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of over 15,000 votes in the Bhabanipur constituency.
The constituency has a substantial population of Sikh and Jain voters, who, according to the report, strongly supported Adhikari's campaign.