Jalpaiguri: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday alleged that ‘anti-national gangs’ have become active again, trying to weaken the country, and urged ‘nationalist forces’ to counter such attempts unitedly.
His remarks at a BJP workers' meeting at Jalpesh in Jalpaiguri district assumed significance against the backdrop of countrywide protests against NEET question paper leak, with many ruling party leaders alleging the demonstrators being manipulated to push an anti-national agenda.
Addressing the meeting after offering prayers at the Jalpesh Shiva Temple, the chief minister used the derogatory "Secu" and "Maku" barbs for secular and Marxist politics to allege that "anti-national 'tukde tukde' gangs" were again attempting to destabilise the country.
"Anti-national tukde tukde gang, Secu and Makus have woken up," Adhikari said and called for the unity of 'nationalist forces'.
He accused the previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments of ignoring the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
No chief minister had offered prayers at the Jalpesh temple in the last five decades, Adhikari claimed and accused the previous dispensation of neglecting the state's cultural and religious heritage.
He also took a swipe at his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her government had tried to turn West Bengal into 'Greater Bangladesh'.
Calling for the preservation of the state's religious heritage, Adhikari directed BJP legislators to prepare a list of ancient temples so that steps could be taken for their conservation and development.
The chief minister described the grassroots BJP workers as the party's 'real strength', saying they were more important than its leaders.
He also asked party workers to spread awareness about five welfare schemes -- Annapurna Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, the rural employment job card programme, PM Surya Ghar Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi -- so that people could avail themselves of their benefits.
The chief minister said the financial powers of gram panchayat pradhans had been curtailed as part of the government's efforts to curb corruption.
He announced that the chief secretary would release three anti-corruption helpline numbers on Tuesday to register bribery complaints, and said anyone found guilty would face strict legal action, including imprisonment.
