A section of Muslim leaders in Kolkata have alleged that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been exploiting them to garner minority votes and that her love for Muslims was more political than emotional.
leaders close to former Kolkata Deputy Mayor Farzana Alam, who died on Tuesday due to a cardiac attack, said that the Chief Minister’s show of emotion for the minority community was “artificial and political but not real.” Alam had died days after she was defeated in the corporation elections allegedly on account of an intra-party sabotage by a section of Trinamool Congress.
“Repeated complaints made to the higher leadership fell on deaf ears and finally my sister lost. She could not bear this insult as she had been a close Mamata follower,” said her brother. He added: “Our grudge is with Mamata Banerjee who only uses minority names like Farzana because they are popular among the Muslims to garner minority votes and nothing else.”
Another senior Trinamool leader and a councillor said the Trinamool might have to pay dearly for betraying the minorities as could be seen from the civic election results in some minority-dominated wards where her party forfeited deposits.
“Those who say that Muslims would be pleased with lip service live in fools’ paradise. You cannot make fools of the voters every time. They are gradually realising her game plan to appease some minority leaders, give them plum posts and garner minority votes,” said a Trinamool State level leader, who has of late been sidelined.
However, Trinamool leader and present Deputy Mayor Iqbal Ahmed refuted such charges saying these leaders were talking against Banerjee because the party did not support their unlawful ways.
“There is no rift in the Trinamool, neither there is any division among the Muslims on whether to back her or not. Mamata Banerjee is a truly secular leader and we support her,” he said.