india

Updated: Jul 09, 2017 21:27 IST

A controversial BJP legislator from Hyderabad has called upon Hindus in West Bengal to “strike back at communal elements” like they did in Gujarat in 2002.

Party MLA T Raja Singh, who is known for his fiery speeches, was reacting to the violence that had recently engulfed Baduria and Basirhat in West Bengal over a blasphemous Facebook post.

In a Twitter video that has now gone viral, Singh can be seen alleging that the Mamata Banerjee government was supporting “communal elements” while ignoring the plight of Hindus in the eastern state. “Hindus in Bengal should respond to people involved in communal violence just like the Hindus in Gujarat did. Otherwise, Bengal will turn into Bangladesh soon,” he said. “The Bengal tigers should wake up and unite in order to protect themselves.”

Singh exhorted members of the majority community to become aware of certain ground realities. “If you don’t demand security, you will be banished from your own state like Kashmiri Hindus,” he added.

When contacted by HT, Singh defended his Twitter video statement. “For the last few days, I have been receiving messages from Hindus in West Bengal about how they are being subjected to violent attacks. Muslims are targeting Hindu properties, outraging the modesty of Hindu women and killing people. But the Mamata Banerjee government has failed to come to their rescue. Instead, it is supporting Muslims,” he alleged.

Singh went on to allege that the Mamata government was turning a blind eye to the infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims into the state. “That’s why I am warning Hindus that West Bengal could meet the same fate as Kashmir one day,” he said.

However, the MLA said his intention was not to incite violence. “I just mentioned that Gujarati Hindus had come together to defend themselves against communal elements in 2002. In the same way, Hindus in West Bengal must come together against these communal elements,” he said.

This is not the first time Singh, who represents the Goshamahal constituency, has hit the headlines for making incendiary remarks. On April 5, he had publicly declared that he would behead anybody who opposes the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. “If anybody has the guts to say he will stop the construction of the Ram Mandir, let him come forward. I will behead him,” the BJP MLA was heard saying.

In July 2016, Singh had justified the assault of Dalits by cow vigilante groups at Gujarat’s Una. On another occasion, he described Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan as a “murderer of Hindus” who was responsible for the attacks on BJP and RSS activists in that state.