New war of words ensued between the BJP and Mamata Banerjee after theBengal Chief Minister called the saffron outfit a “party of militants.”
While addressing a party core committee meeting Banerjee said thatTrinamool Congress was not a militant organisation like the BJP. “We are not a militant organisation like the BJP,” she said accusing thesaffron outfit not only driving a wedge among Hindus, Muslims and Christians but also within the Hindu society.”
Her remarks drew a prompt reaction from the BJP top leadership thatre-directed the militant remark at Banerjee saying it was her Trinamool Congress which had shunned all humanity and was running the State with groups that indulge in violence and reminding her of how she enjoyed the backing of ultra-leftists.
In an apparent reference to a statement made by BJP State president Dilip Ghosh where he threatened to carry out encounters of the Trinamool Congress leaders, Banerjee said, “these people are threatening us with encounter deaths because they are in power in Delhi. But they are not aware of the hard realities that they will have to face in a few months time when they will lose power after the coming elections.”
Daring the BJP to carry out its encounter threats she said “come and do what you have said. We will give you a fitting reply just the way we did in the panchayat elections,” Banerjee said adding “in any case you will not be there in power in Delhi after a few months and gradually fade into oblivion after that.”
Reacting to Banerjee’s remarks BJP leader Nalin Kohli said instead of cursing the saffron party Banerjee would do well to “collect data on how many BJP workers were killed in Bengal by Trinamool workers.” The BJP leaders reminded about the secret murders of two party men in Purulia allegedly because they had played a role in its victory in the panchayat elections in the district.