West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh on Friday criticised the ongoing protests by opposition parties against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi as "drama" and claimed that they would fizzle out and leave no mark on Indian society.
He also asserted the BJP must win every election, "from panchayat to Parliament", asking party workers to strengthen the organisation ahead of the civic polls.
Speaking at the bhumi pujan of a new BJP office in the district, the former West Bengal BJP president accused opposition parties of trying to weaken the pillars of democracy through the agitation.
Dilip Ghosh calls SIR protests ‘drama’
"Some people are running to the Supreme Court and to Parliament. They are targeting the temple of democracy, the Lok Sabha, and the Supreme Court, which is the place to deliver justice. Attempts are being made to weaken the pillars that hold up democracy," he said.
Protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar began in Delhi on October 2, when opposition leaders, student organisations and activists demonstrated against alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The INDIA bloc parties staged a march towards the Supreme Court on October 12, seeking to raise concerns over the revision exercise with the Chief Justice of India.
The panchayat minister claimed that the Congress had always been "the root" of such politics, and other opposition parties which are its "by-products" have been fighting separately and losing their ground.
Questioning the leadership of the protests, he said, "Saints, revolutionaries and freedom fighters gave their blood and sweat and laid down their lives for this country. Today's so-called leaders arrive by chartered planes and sit in air-conditioned rooms."
Dismissing the agitation as "drama", Ghosh said such protests would have no lasting impact.
"We have seen all this drama. It will go on for a few days. Throwing stones at Indian society will leave no mark. Many such dramas will happen. They have happened in India through the ages, but Indian society does not easily accept just anyone," he added.
To leave a mark on society, one has to make sacrifices, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done, Ghosh said without elaborating.
Minister targets opposition leaders, cites festive disruptions
The minister alleged that the protests were disrupting normal life during the festive season. "Roads are blocked, and trains and flights have had to be cancelled, even as people are celebrating Navaratri and Durga Puja," he said.
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Ghosh claimed that the party's leaders had lost credibility and people do not want to see them.
He also claimed that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee "was not invited even to neighbourhood Durga pujas".
Ghosh said the BJP, after coming to power in Bengal in May, had begun the task of rebuilding the state. He said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 6,000 crore two days ago and that industries were now being invited to the state.
Ghosh urges BJP to win elections at every level
Turning to the party's organisation, Ghosh said the BJP's growth in Bengal depended on a strong and disciplined cadre.
"Our fight did not end when we came to power. The organisation must stand firmly behind the government and become stronger. We have to win every election, at every level, from panchayat to Parliament, and put disciplined BJP workers in every position," he said.
Praising the Narendra Modi government, Ghosh said India was moving ahead in fields from space missions to software, and that the country was being looked to for leadership in the world.
He said the Maoist threat was ebbing and Kashmir was gradually becoming peaceful.