Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday took a swipe at the Trinamool Congress’s ‘outsider’ jibe at the BJP, saying Freedom fighter Khudiram Bose belonged as much to India as he belonged to Bengal.
“Those who indulge in petty politics in Bengal, I have come to tell them that Khudiram belongs as much to India as he belongs to Bengal,” Mr. Shah, who visited the native village of the Freedom fighter in Paschim Medinipur district, said.
The Minister, who is on a two-day visit to the State, noted that today was the day of martyrdom of Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan and Thakur Roshan Singh. “Pt. Ramprasad Bismil was as much a person from U.P. as he was from Bengal. Those who had sacrificed their lives in the Freedom struggle would have never have imagined such petty politics. One has to rise above such ‘petty politics’,” he observed.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Shah visited the house where Swami Vivekananda was born in north Kolkata. The ideals of swamiji were more relevant in the present times than in the times he lived, he emphasised.
Mr. Shah had lunch at a farmer’s home in Paschim Medinpur district. He was accompanied by State BJP president Dilip Ghosh and party’s vice president Mukul Roy.
“Had delicious food for lunch at Shri Jhunu Singh ji and Shri Sanatan Singh ji's home in Belijuri village, Midnapore (West Bengal). Grateful to the entire family for such warmth, affection and love,” Mr. Shah tweeted, thanking the family for the lunch.
In his earlier visit to the State last month, he had lunch at a Matua and a tribal family.
Mr. Shah will visit Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, the university set up by Rabindranath Tagore, on Sunday.
Indian first, says Suvendu
Later in the day, speaking at a public rally in Midnapore where he joined the BJP, Suvendu Adhikari also targeted the Trinamool Congress for its ‘outsider’ (bahirgata) remarks directed at the BJP leadership.
“In this Bengal, they are calling Amit Shah an outsider, Kailash Vjayvargiya an outsider, Amit Malviya an outsider. As I had said before, we are first Indians and then Bengalis. I will not allow inclusiveness of Bengal to be destroyed,” he stated.
