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ll India Trinamool Congress (AITC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday cornered the central government for the rise in right-wing extremism following incidents of targeted attacks against Christians on Christmas. In a post on X, Abhishek Banerjee shared a 2002 video of a media conference featuring then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee advising then-Gujarat CM Narendra Modi that a representative of the people cannot differentiate between people. The press conference was held after the Gujarat Riots. Banerjee flagged the issue of increasing attacks on Dalits, STs and minorities, accusing the centre of "deliberately poisoning" the climate of India. "India's climate is being deliberately poisoned. Right-wing forces, emboldened by power, are openly attacking Dalits, STs and minorities - through fear, lynching, threats and hate, all under the garb of religion," Abhishek Banerjee said. "When those in power are the perpetrators and reward the protectors of this violence, impunity becomes policy. This is not governance; this is moral collapse," he added.
Banerjee further said that these attacks are "unconstitutional, illegal" and "tear apart" the secular foundation of the country. "These attacks are unconstitutional, illegal and tear apart the very foundation of India- our UNITY in DIVERSITY. Silence today is complicity. History will not forgive this," he said. Abhishek Banerjee's comments came after various incidents of alleged vandalism and attacks were reported across the country during the Christmas celebration by right-wing forces. Meanwhile, in Assam, the Police have arrested the four members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad for vandalising St Mary's English School's property before the Christmas celebration. The miscreants, identified as Bhaskar Dey, Jyoti Padgiri, Biju Dutta, and Nayan Talukdar, were arrested by the Assam Police after the incident. The incident took place on Wednesday when the miscreants entered the premises of the school in Nalbari district, damaging the outer decorations, street lights, plant pots, and other articles, as well as setting some things on fire. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasised that the state government is firmly committed to maintaining peace and communal harmony. "In connection with the vandalism at St Mary's English School, Panigaon, under Belsor Police Station, Nalbari district, the miscreants involved have been arrested. Assam Police acted promptly, and further action will be taken strictly in accordance with the law. We are fully committed to maintaining peace, communal harmony, and ensuring the safety of all institutions and citizens across the state," Sarma wrote on X.