A Trinamool Congress legislator has courted controversy after his vitriolic rant against the people of Bihar went viral on social media. The TMC leader, identified as Manoranjan Byapari, made the contentious remarks during the 45th International Kolkata Book Fair.
In a video shared by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, Byapari was heard as saying, “They (Biharis) say that there is nothing in Bengal. So, why are you here? Go back to Bihar. We are satisfied with what we have here in Bengal. Who has asked you to be here?”
“You will live here, eat here and still complain that there is nothing in Bengal. If everything is fine in Bihar, then, get lost from here,” he had claimed.
My humble question to Bihari Babu Shri @ShatruganSinha ji, Sir, what do you feel about this disgraceful rant of TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari?
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) March 14, 2022
Your new party colleague is very transparent about his feelings towards Biharis. His recent speech at the Kolkata International Book Fair: pic.twitter.com/3vtVln6tdH
“If you have the blood of a true Bengali like Binay-Badal, Khudiram and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and love the Bengali language, then, ignite the fire in you. You will also have to say it out loud: Ek Bihari, 100 Beemarii (One Bihari is equal to 100 diseases). We don’t want diseases. Make Bengal disease-free,” the lawmaker was heard as saying.
Manoranjan Byapari is a first-time MLA from the Balagarh constituency in Hoogly district of West Bengal.
Suvendu Adhikari slams TMC
While tweeting the contentious video, Suvendu Adhikari asked veteran Bollywood actor from Bihar, Shatrugan Sinha, about his decision to join the Trinamool Congress.
“Sir, what do you feel about this disgraceful rant of TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari? Your new party colleague is very transparent about his feelings towards Biharis. His recent speech at the Kolkata International Book Fair,” the BJP leader asked.
First his leader @MamataOfficial labels Biharis & UPites as “Bohiragotos” & now this clarion call to make Bengal free of Biharis.@BJP4Bihar @BJP4India @renu_bjp @SanjayJaisw @girirajsinghbjp @BJP4Jharkhand@YashwantSinha @PavanK_Varma
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) March 14, 2022
He further pointed out, “First his leader Mamata Banerjee labels Biharis & UPites as “Bohiragotos” & now this clarion call to make Bengal free of Biharis.”
Mamata Banerjee and her prejudiced remarks against UPites, Biharis
In the run-up to the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made several distasteful remarks against the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. She tried to consolidate the Bengali vote by first labelling the BJP as a party of ‘outsiders‘ (Bohiragoto).
While addressing an election rally in March last year, she alleged, “They (BJP) have a plan to kill a woman from their own party. As you know, they had brought goons from Uttar Pradesh (to Bengal). They will make those goons torture her, blame the State and divide the Hindus and Muslims. Remember this is the plan of the thugs that have come from Bihar, and Rajasthan.”
#WATCH | They (BJP) have another plan to kill a woman from their own party with goons they have brought from Bihar & UP and put the blame on Bengal. This is their plan: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/KujcL52Xho
— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021
“Baira thaka goondara aisa bangla ke dhokhol kora nibe, Banglar sanskriti ke dhokhol kore nabe, banglar asthitya dhokhol kore nabe.(Goons from other States will come here and take over Bengal, destroy its culture and identity),” the incumbent West Bengal Chief Minister alleged during another election rally in Nandigram.
Given that the party leader had espoused sectarian hate during the 2021 election campaign, it comes as no surprise that TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari is now spewing hatred against the Biharis in West Bengal.
