New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) Political temperatures soared on Saturday after remarks by leaders from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of obstructing central agencies and allegedly appeasing a Bangladeshi-origin vote bank.

The sharp reactions come amid Mamata Banerjee’s recent protest against what she termed undue interference by constitutional authorities in the state.

National Spokesperson of the VHP, Vinod Bansal, launched a frontal attack on the Chief Minister alleging, “The exercise that Mamata ji is carrying out to turn Bengal into Bangladesh will never be successful.”

“First, she stopped the Income Tax department, then the CBI. And whenever any agency takes action, she runs away with files and papers. What kind of mentality is this?” Bansal said, accusing the state government of undermining the rule of law.

Adding to the criticism, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that CM Banerjee has remained silent on the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh while prioritising electoral interests.

“Mamata Banerjee shows no concern for the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. Ahead of the Assembly elections, her vote bank, which includes people of Bangladeshi origin, has received financial support from both internal and external sources. She does not want any investigation to move forward under any circumstances,” Somaiya claimed.

He further asserted that the BJP would not compromise on the issue of illegal immigration, stating, “The Bharatiya Janata Party will not tolerate any compromise in sending Bangladeshi nationals back.”

Meanwhile, countering the Opposition’s allegations, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey, accused the Centre of selectively deploying investigative agencies against non-BJP governments.

“The chariot of the ED and CBI moves only towards non-BJP-ruled states. It never moves in the direction of Gujarat or Maharashtra,” Dubey said, alleging political misuse of central agencies.

The renewed political slugfest follows CM Banerjee’s protest on Friday against an alleged Election Commission-related raid, during which she accused the Centre of intimidating state officials and misusing constitutional institutions.

–IANS

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