The Trinamool Congress has raised serious objection to Border Security Forces Director General KK Sharma’s attending a programme organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
In a scathing attack on the BJP Government for “trying to saffronise even the armed forces,” senior Bengal Minister Partho Chatterjee on Monday said “this is a serious issue. If the Centre does not pull up the erring officer then we will understand that they have an oblique support for such acts.”
Chatterjee’s statement comes within hours of Trinamool Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien vowing to raise the issue before Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The MP twitted “what is a serving BSF DG doing in uniform at RSS-backed NGO’s function in KolkataIJ We will take issue to Home Minister.” He said “we object to the DG going to an event in his uniform — an event by the RSS-backed NGO.”
The top BSF officer had on Sunday attended a conference on border issues, organised by Seemanta Chetana Mancha, an NGO affiliated to RSS.
“Such issues should be handled in a coordinated manner by the entire Opposition because if this trend is not nipped in the bud then they will try to saffronise the entire armed forces in future. This is one way of humiliating the armed forces like the way RSS chief has done by making a remark on its preparedness,” said the Bengal Minister.
Incidentally Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on a several occasions come under Opposition attack for allowing IPS officers for attending Trinamool Congress meetings in Birbhum district.