UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was in Bengal to campaign ahead of Assemblyu polls
Kolkata:
A furious Trinamool has hit back at Yogi Adityanath after the UP Chief Minister referred to a widely shared video – an elderly woman being allegedly assaulted by party workers – and claimed “women are no longer safe in Bengal”.
The Trinamool has accused Yogi Adityanath and the BJP of sharing and propagating “fake news”.
Earlier on Tuesday Yogi Adityanath, at a campaign rally in Bengal’s Malda, said: “I saw posters all around showing how a BJP worker’s elderly mother was mercilessly beaten up by Trinamool goons. Seeing the injuries I had tears in my eyes. Women are no longer safe in Bengal.”
The UP Chief Minister, who has been criticised over horrific crimes against women in his state, added: “Those who were goondas in UP today don’t dare do anything. They are quiet and begging for their lives. When the BJP government comes to power, goondas will beg for their lives.”
Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar reacted, tweeting a video to debunk the BJP’s claims.
“In a poll-bound state, Yogi Adityanath comes and spreads misinformation to fool people. While Bengal BJP leaders were spreading fake news, the family members of the lady informed she was already suffering from a medical condition resulting in the swelling,” Dr Dastidar posted.
In a poll-bound state, Mr @myogiadityanath comes & spreads misinformation to fool people.
While @BJP4Bengal leaders were spreading Fake News, the family members of the lady informed that she was already suffering from a medical condition resulting in the swelling.
Watch ???????? https://t.co/mJpQcWhe52pic.twitter.com/VR5jhlAwpF
— Dr. KakoliGDastidar (@kakoligdastidar) March 2, 2021
The BJP has insisted the woman was assaulted because she is the mother of a BJP worker.
According to Gopal Majumdar, the BJP worker, Shova Majumdar was beaten by three Trinamool workers who barged into his home in Bengal’s North 24 Paraganas on Saturday. He told reporters he too was attacked, and that it was because he is a member of the BJP.
However, Shova Majumdar’s grandson contested the claim; he said the swelling was the result of a medical condition and that the Trinamool had nothing to do with the incident.
Yogi Adityanath’s Bengal visit came on the day UP reported a horrific crime from Hathras, where a man accused of sexually assaulting a young woman allegedly shot her father dead while on bail.
Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan shared a NDTV report on this incident and flagged it in her tweet.
“SHOCKING! Cannot find the words to describe the horror that BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh has turned into! WHY couldn’t Yogi Adityanath prioritize the safety & security of this family? Is Bengal elections more important to BJP?” she asked.
SHOCKING!
Cannot find the words to describe the horror that @BJP4India ruled Uttar Pradesh has turned into! WHY couldn’t @myogiadityanath prioritize the safety & security of this family? Is Bengal elections more important to BJP?#BJPHataoBetiBachaohttps://t.co/WPvi5GHzP4
— Nusrat Jahan Ruhi (@nusratchirps) March 2, 2021
As the campaign for the Bengal election becomes more and more vicious, the Trinamool has attacked the BJP for spreading fake news.
BJP leaders, though, have pointed to the Shova Majumdar incident and cried “political violence”. Several of them visited the Majumdar home to drive home that point.
Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien tweeted: “Trinamool is running a positive campaign. BJP desperate. They have no counter to Mamata Banerjee on good governance and #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay (the party’s election slogan),” he said.
Trinamool is running a positive campaign. BJP desperate. They have no counter to @MamataOfficial on good governance and #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay
So how low do they go ? Fabricate. Deceive. No one is spared. Not even senior citizens. #FakeNews factory. Exposed again.Pukeworthy
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) February 28, 2021
“So how low do they go ? Fabricate. Deceive. No one is spared. Not even senior citizens. #FakeNews factory. Exposed again. Pukeworthy,” he added.
In another tweet Mr O’Brien targeted Yogi Adityanath – whose name is Ajay Bisht – specifically.
Every time a ‘tourist gang’ member visits Bengal a #FactCheck exposes him. Ajay Bisht, CM of UP, here are cases of rioting & arson in UP????
???????? 9594 cases in 2017
???????? 9634 cases in 2018
???????? 6331 cases in 2019Source: NCRB
Ajay Bisht, stop spreading #FakeNews The cheek u have! https://t.co/E9dX7dE6G5
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) March 2, 2021
“Every time a ‘tourist gang’ member visits Bengal a #FactCheck exposes him. Ajay Bisht, CM of UP, here are cases of rioting & arson in UP. 9,594 cases in 2017; 9,634 cases in 2018; 6,331 cases in 2019. Source: NCRB Ajay Bisht, stop spreading #FakeNews The cheek u have!”