Kolkata, July 25 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, today strongly criticised Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for his “reckless words, hate speech, and divisive rhetoric against the Gujarati community” made in the Parliament premises in New Delhi and urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take note of the matter.
A purported video of Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee, shared by Adhikari on his X handle, allegedly contains remarks targeting the Gujarati community. In the clip, Banerjee is seen questioning their contribution to India’s freedom movement in comparison to the Bengali community.
“Kalyan Banerjee’s reckless words, hate speech, and divisive rhetoric have no place in a civilised society,” Adhikari said, targeting the senior TMC leader.
“Statements like ‘We won’t spare a single Gujju’ are not only offensive, they constitute a threat and a dangerous attempt to incite hatred against the respected Gujarati community,” Adhikari added.
He further wrote on X, “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 reminded Banerjee that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly remembered as the Father of the Nation, was a proud Gujarati, as was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the Iron Man of India.
“To claim that Gujaratis weren’t involved in India’s freedom movement is an insult to the countless Gujaratis who sacrificed their lives for the nation. Such demeaning statements, made to defame the Gujarati community, are not only factually incorrect but also a cheap tactic to sow discord between Bengalis and Gujaratis,” Adhikari said.
The Nandigram MLA and BJP leader also urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take serious note of the “vile” remarks made by the TMC MP within Parliament premises. He further stated that he would request Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to initiate appropriate legal action against “this motormouth who crossed the line during his thoughtless rant.”
