A Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader has ignited a firestorm of controversy by issuing threats to drown BJP workers in the Bhagirathi river within a mere two hours. The inflammatory remarks were made during a party booth workers meeting in Shaktipur, Murshidabad, where the leader, identified as the Bharatpur MLA, also made divisive comments regarding the demographics of the area.
In a video recording of the speech, the leader can be heard menacingly stating, “I will leave politics if I don’t drown you people (referring to BJP workers and Hindus) in the Bhagirathi River within two hours.” He went on to assert the numerical superiority of Muslims over Hindus in the region, claiming, “You are 30 per cent people, we are also 70 per cent here.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swiftly condemned the TMC lawmaker’s offensive statements. Amit Malviya, the party’s IT chief, highlighted the plight of Hindus in the area, many of whom are refugees from Bangladesh fleeing religious persecution. Malviya underscored the alarming situation faced by Hindus, who constitute a minority, stating, “In Murshidabad, Hindus are a minority. Just 28%. And this is what they are being subjected to.”
This incident is not the first time Humayun Kabir, the TMC leader in question, has courted controversy. He previously stirred tensions within the party by opposing the candidacy of former cricket player Yusuf Pathan, labeling him an “outsider” for the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat. Kabir’s demands for greater representation for Muslims in the party hierarchy have also caused internal strife.
Kabir’s assertion of Muslim leaders’ rightful place within the TMC echelons has fueled debates about identity politics and representation in West Bengal. His insistence on prioritising Muslim interests and his threat of community backlash against the party if not heeded have heightened tensions within TMC ranks.
As reactions continue to pour in, Kabir’s remarks have reignited debates about communal politics and minority representation in Bengal’s political landscape. The incident underscores the growing polarisation and identity-based politics that are increasingly defining the state’s political discourse.
