A heated dispute has been triggered by the statements of Abdur Rahim Bakshi, the Malda district TMC president and MLA. The TMC leader issued a threat to throw acid in the face of a BJP MLA, further warning of a social boycott should the BJP attempt to operate within the area. These remarks, including calls to tear down BJP flags and physically assault MPs, have been met with strong condemnation. BJP’s senior leader, Amit Malviya, questioned whether these actions reflect a democratic environment or a reign of terror. The comments were made at a protest organized by the Block Trinamool Congress in Inayatanagar, Malatipur. The protest aimed to address alleged attacks on Bengalis in other states and the perceived disrespect towards the Bengali language. The gathering included local MLA and district TMC president Abdur Rahim Bakshi, along with Zilla Parishad members Abdul Hai, Rehena Parveen, and others.
Amit Malviya swiftly responded on social media, criticizing the TMC and highlighting Bakshi’s threat. Malviya pointed out Bakshi’s history of making violent threats, specifically recalling previous threats to harm BJP, CPM, and Congress workers. Malviya underscored the TMC’s history of violence, suggesting it is inherent to their political practices. He further noted that in Malda-Murshidabad, where Banerjee’s dedicated voter base includes illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants, such threats are a reflection of the TMC’s political strategy, posing the question of democracy versus terror.
During the event, Rahim Bakshi made further controversial statements, indirectly targeting Siliguri’s BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh. Bakshi declared that any BJP MLA who refers to Bengali migrant workers as Bangladeshi Rohingyas in the assembly would face an acid attack, intending to silence them. He urged the public to boycott the BJP, citing the persecution of Bengalis in BJP-governed states and the lack of protest from BJP supporters in the region. Furthermore, Uttar Malda BJP MP Khagen Murmu organized a 24-hour sit-in at the Chanchal police station in response to alleged false cases against BJP workers and made threats against the BJP MP, branding the program as undemocratic. Despite facing criticism, the district president defended his remarks by claiming he did not make any undemocratic statements to the media.