Kolkata: In a scathing attack, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Monday accused Union Minister and West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar of sharing misleading images to incite communal tensions in the state. Gokhale alleged that Majumdar circulated images of violence from other states, including BJP-ruled ones, and falsely claimed they depicted incidents from West Bengal during Hindu festivals.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Gokhale posted screenshots of a tweet allegedly made by Majumdar, which has since been deleted. “In a shocking turn of events, a Union minister in the Govt of India has been caught red-handed trying to incite communal riots in West Bengal,” Gokhale wrote. “Yesterday, Union minister Sukanta Majumdar posted a series of photos of violence from other states (including BJP-ruled states). And then he claimed that these were photos of ‘Muslims being violent during Hindu festivals in Bengal’,” he added.
Gokhale said the misinformation was swiftly debunked by netizens, prompting Majumdar to quietly delete his tweet without issuing any clarification. “During a tense situation, Mr Majumdar (who is also BJP Bengal chief) was actively trying to create a rift between communities & fuel riots,” Gokhale alleged.
He did not mince words as he questioned the Union minister’s sense of accountability. “I want to ask Sukanta babu: Do you have any sense of responsibility as a Union Minister? You knowingly posted fake photos with the intention of fuelling riots… You deleted your tweet after being caught.”
The TMC MP further accused the BJP of orchestrating a broader strategy. “It’s a toolkit — use ministers to incite tensions & then use that as an excuse to send Central forces to Bengal,” he said, referring to previous instances where the Centre had intervened in the state citing law and order issues.
Gokhale also challenged Home Minister Amit Shah to take action. “Will Amit Shah pull up his Union minister? Or will he try new dirty tactics now in his desperation for Bengal elections next year?”
In a sharp parting shot, Gokhale said, “BJP is welcome to fight us on facts. But a Modi minister using his position to incite communal riots in Bengal is unacceptable and dangerous.”
