Bengal BJP chief not to soften strident voice, warns of more

Justifying his series of controversial statements, Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Ghosh here on Thursday said those who couldn't stomach such words should boost their power of tolerance and be ready to hear "tougher words" from him.

Days after his threat to "beat up" and "shoot" anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) agitators, which received even the BJP's disapproval, Ghosh said none should expect sweet talk from him in the present scenario in the state, where "there is no democracy" and his party workers were being killed or arrested on trumped up charges.

Blaming the idle people for sparking controversies over his comments, Ghosh said they couldn't digest a BJP leader taking so aggressively.

"Lot of comments I made sparked controversies. It's still on. People who have lots of free time indulge in this. We don't care. But why do they do that? Not for Dilip Ghosh. The simple reason is they can't digest a BJP leader talking in such an aggressive manner," he said addressing party functionaries after being elected the state BJP chief.

In an indirect reference to parties, like the CPI-M and the Congress, which have weakened, he said the people whose names appeared in newspapers regularly 10-15 years ago were now a disappointed lot "as nobody takes their names".

"Nobody goes to meet them, listen to them. Thus, out of disappointment they are criticising us. Whenever we talk big, they say it's their domain," Ghosh said.

Ghosh alleged the BJP workers, including panchayat members, were being arrested on false charges, like possession of ganja.

Ghosh said before the 2018 panchayat polls he had said the fight would go up to the smasan (crematorium). "I had faced a lot of flak. But I was proved right. Many of our workers died. After the election, our young workers were hanged from trees.

"Such insensitive is this government that it said those were the cases of suicide."

In the present scenario of the state, Ghosh said he would be betraying his conscience by using sober words. "There is no democracy. Lawyers, teachers and doctors have no security. The vice-chancellors have to genuflect to the Education Minister to save their jobs.

"In such a scenario what do you expect from me? Sober words? It will be dishonesty on our part," he said in a veiled to reference to his critics, including Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who has assailed him for his comments on CAA protestors.

However, the tender side of the normally belligerent and combative leader also came to the fore as during his speech he broke into tears while describing how his workers were being killed.

"There have been instances when I saw my workers jiving with loud slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki jai' before my car. But only after a few days, I had to garland their body," Ghosh said in a voice choked with emotion.

"It has happened so many times in my life," he said.

After a long silence, he said organisational election was a matter of great happiness and joy, "but we shouldn't forget those who have given their lives, for ushering in the change in Bengal, and for whom we have reached here.

Another emotional pause followed as he tried to control the tears welling up.

And then he spoke loud and clear: "We will go ahead. Nobody can stop us."

( With inputs from IANS )