Kolkata, July 25 (IANS) The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday, launched a scathing attack against the four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee over the latter’s “offensive” comments targeting Gujratis.

On Friday, Adhikari shared a video on his official X handle, where Banerjee, also a senior advocate with the Calcutta High Court, was heard making some abusive comments in Bengali about Gujaratis.

Banerjee reportedly made the comments during a media interaction within the premises of the Parliament.

IANS, however, could not cross-check the authenticity of the video.

Commenting on the video, the Leader of Opposition said that Banerjee’s reckless words, hate speech, and divisive rhetoric had no place in a civilised society.

“We won’t spare a single Gujju – is not just an offensive statement; it is a threat, and a dangerous attempt to incite hatred against the revered Gujarati Community. His derogatory remarks targeting Gujaratis, mocking and taunting the Community as Gujjus who didn’t play any role in India’s Independence Movement, are a shameful attack on the dignity of an entire Community and a gross distortion of history,” Adhikari said.

He also reminded Banerjee that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly known as the Father of the Nation, was a proud Gujarati, and so was the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

“To claim that ‘Gujjus weren’t involved in India’s Freedom Movement’ is an insult to the countless Gujaratis who sacrificed for our Nation’s freedom. Such demeaning statements made to defame the Gujarati Community are not only factually wrong but also a cheap tactic to sow discord between Bengalis and Gujaratis,” Adhikari added.

He also claimed that he would request the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, to take note of the offensive comments by Kalyan Banerjee as these were made within the premises of the Parliament.

Adhikari said that he would also request the Gujarat Chief Minister to initiate appropriate legal actions against Kalyan Banerjee.

–IANS

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