Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday targeted those raising ‘Azadi’ slogans and questioned the graffiti of ‘Red Salute Kishanji’ to hail a Maoist leader, who was killed in police firing in the state in 2011, on the walls of Jadavpur University.
Addressing a Raksha Bandhan programme at his Bhabanipur assembly constituency in south Kolkata, Adhikari linked the festival with patriotism and nationalism and invoked Bengal’s contribution to the freedom struggle.
He also launched a sharp attack on those he accused of conspiring to divide the country from within, saying such elements must be “cleaned out like household garbage”.
Hinting at Left activists, Adhikari said political protests and slogans such as “Inquilab Zindabad” were permissible, and people are free to protest against him or the ruling BJP if they believe the government or its organisations had done something wrong.
However, he said, the party would not compromise on two issues — “nation first” and the ideological legacy of BJP leaders Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Deendayal Upadhyaya.
“You can protest, you can say Inquilab Zindabad. You can protest against me, you can protest if ABVP has done something wrong,” he said while addressing a private vernacular news channel event.
Adhikari said the government had no intention of interfering in religious practices and people were free to carry religious flags, but questioned the use of Palestinian flags during processions.
“Keep as many religious flags as you want. There is no problem. If someone comes out carrying the Indian flag, they are welcome. But why the Palestinian flag? Who are you trying to provoke?” he said.
He said such activities would not be allowed in West Bengal and referred to the alleged recovery of Palestinian flags from an Islamic procession on Wednesday, saying arrests had been made in connection with the incident.
The chief minister also issued a specific warning against separatist slogans, saying that those raising Azaadi or “Kashmir maange Azaadi” would face arrest.
“Say Inquilab Zindabad, but if you say Azaadi, you will face a case. If you say ‘Kashmir maange Azaadi’, we will face arrest,” Adhikari warned.
He asserted that there would be no compromise on the interests of the state and rejected what he described as attempts to intimidate the government and the country.
“We are not a weak government. Whom are you threatening? All this intimidation and show of strength will not work. There will be no compromise on the interests of the state,” he said.
Adhikari also criticised references to slain Maoist leader Kishanji on university walls, saying slogans such as “Red Salute” to him would not be tolerated.
The chief minister invoked Bengal’s history of participation in the freedom struggle, citing Sri Aurobindo, Surendranath Banerjee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and said the state had made a major contribution to India’s nationalist movement.
He also said his government wants “constructive criticism” and would take responsibility for its actions.
