india

Updated: Dec 27, 2019 16:16 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh, who is known for making controversial statements, on Friday said that his party allows people to create trouble because the media looks for news.

Hours before addressing a rally at Contai in East Midnapore district, Ghosh made the remark while talking to the media at a local party office.

“They (Trinamool Congress) will create trouble. We will create trouble. This is the character of Bengal’s politics. We are prepared for everything. You (journalists) also look for news. That’s why we allow people to create trouble,” said Ghosh.

The statement led to outrage among his political opponents.

“BJP has been rejected by people in all states. They want to establish control over Bengal through violence. He (Ghosh) does not know the political culture of Bengal,” said minister of state for parliamentary affairs and TMC leader Tapas Roy.

“People don’t accept this kind of politics. Dilip Ghosh is talking like a fool to create sensation,” said Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator Sujan Chakraborty.

In November, Ghosh made headlines by suggesting that milk of Indian cows contain gold. Foreign cows lack such qualities, he had said.

A case was registered against him in August for asking party workers to retaliate and beat up Trinamool Congress workers and police personnel if they were attacked. He also assured them that there was no reason to be scared and the party would pitch in to help if any problem arose.

Ghosh had made headlines for saying that a woman, who was allegedly beaten up by party supporters, was “let off with a light dose”. The woman, in her late twenties, said she wanted to speak with Ghosh but was not allowed to enter. Speaking to the media, the woman said when Ghosh left the meeting and was getting into his vehicle, she tried to hand him a letter, but BJP supporters dragged her away and thrashed her.