On Saturday, Kolkata Mayor from the Trinamool Congress, Firhad Hakim, appealed to the Muslim rioting mobs, who he addressed as friends, to not indulge in rioting in the state and damage public property. He further stated that they were only benefitting the BJP with their violence and rampage.
He also said that Mamata Banerjee has already declared that NRC and CAB will not be implemented in the state, therefore, they need not worry.
Hakim said, “Why should we, as people of Bengal, harm other people of Bengal? Why should we damage the public property of the people of Bengal? Those people will then start supporting Amit Shah and if 70% of them support Amit Shah, then when BJP comes to power here, then you’ll have to keep your heads down like they do in Uttar Pradesh. No one will come on the streets then.”
He continued, “If you want to protest, then join the rally called by Mamata Banerjee. Protest against the CAB and NRC in a democratic, social way. We are not criminals that we will burn buses and spread anarchy. Therefore, I request the brothers who are indulging in these protests to think sensibly. The people of Bengal are being hurt and Delhi’s Amit Shah is laughing at this.
Muslim mobs have been on a rampage in West Bengal and the state government has, thus far, shown no inclination of dealing with them with a strict hand. Buses have been burnt, trains have been set on fire and immense loss to public property has been reported from the state.