In continuation to recent row, CM Mamata Banerjee has warned the BJP of a Rs 1000 crore defamation suit for levelling false allegations against her government’s achievements. This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the Calcutta high court striking down the OBC status granted to ‘77 classes’ in West Bengal was a “tight slap” to the Opposition’s INDIA bloc that kept employing communal politics to appease to their voter bank. 

The high court, in its decision, observed that “religion appeared to have been the sole criterion” for terming these classes as backwards, expressing a lack of faith in the decision that took root in the worry that the Muslim community was being treated as a commodity for political ends. “This is clear from the chain of events that led to the classification of the 77 classes as OBCs and their inclusion to be treated as a vote bank,” the court explained, as reported by PTI. 

The CM has refused to accept this verdict, contemplating taking the issue to Supreme Court to appeal against the judgement. 

CM Mamata Banerjee
Image Source: Government of West Bengal

To this, PM Modi sternly fronted his opinion, calling out the politics of West Bengal to have crossed the threshold of normalcy due to their obsession with appeasing their vote bank. In Dwarka, while addressing a rally, PM Modi said that though he carried the brunt of the accusations that called upon him for making communal statements, he was only expressing the truth. 

“Just today, the Calcutta high court has given a big slap to this INDI alliance. The court has cancelled all OBC certificates issued since 2010. Why? Because the West Bengal government issued unwarranted OBC certificates to Muslims just because of the vote bank," he said.

According to the PM, this should be called vote jihad. 

“SC, ST, OBC get the rights as per the Constitution. Minorities also have their rights. Can anyone say that he will frame legislation only for the benefit of Hindus and leave out Muslims and other communities?" the CM spoke, as per PTI.

"I will file a defamation of ₹1000 crore (against BJP) for peddling falsehood about their achievements and also for levelling false charges against me and my projects. I hadn’t taken even one paisa in my entire political career. And I will distribute the entire amount among the people.”

Earlier, following the CM’s comments on Bharat Sevasharam Sangha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also taken to addressing a rally at Kanthi in Purba Medinipur district— saying, “Bengal has become a safe haven for infiltrators. Due to infiltration, the demography of Bengal is changing and it is impacting not only this state but also the entire country. Mamata Banerjee is committing a sin by helping to change the demography of Bengal. She is compromising national security for the sake of vote bank politics.” 

Bharat Sevashram Sangha Monk had also issued a warning seeking an apology from the CM within 48 hours or he would bring upon a defamation lawsuit on her. The notice asked the CM to, “forthwith address the press and issue an unconditional apology and retract your virulent and mala fide statement as aforesaid within 48 hours from receipt of the instant notice and cease and desist from making further similar statements against my client, be it on any website, newsprint or television channel defaming and maligning my client.”

To this, the CM had replied that she had not intended to target the entire institution but rather a few. At a Trinamul Congress campaign rally later, the CM said, “I’m not against Ramakrishna Mission. Why would I be against a particular institution or defame it? I even went to visit Maharaj few days ago when he was ill. That's not an issue. I only spoke about one or two people. The BSS has an office and ashram in Sagar Island. They love me a lot and serve people.”

According to the Deccan Chronicle, she clarified, “I named one man. He is Kartik Maharaj. He did not allow TMC to field agents and also masterminded the riot in Murshidabad before the polls. That's why I took his name. He was earlier with Adhir (Choudhury of the Congress) but is now in the BJP. He runs an ashram at Rejinagar where the riot happened. I have no problem with his ashram. But when I enquired about our party agents’ absence at (polling booths, I was told the Kartik Maharaj said he would not allow them.”

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