The Chief Minister said, “They have been raising their voices, talking about Hindutva. I have taken an oath that after becoming the Chief Minister, I will not use any such words or sentences, that will not come out of my mouth, that any particular community can say has been hurt.” And then he said, “I am saying, you have misled Muslims. Why send Kharajis to madrasas? Why not send them to schools and colleges, why not make them doctors and engineers, you have to answer.”
It is worth noting that the same issue was raised earlier by the Municipal and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Pal. Regarding madrasas, she said, “We need to look into how education is being done in madrasas. When I was in the opposition in the assembly, I had also said, how many children are getting help from the grant of Rs 5713 crore being given to madrasas? How many children are becoming doctors, engineers, scientists, IFS, IRS, we need to see where the money is going, whether modern education is being provided in madrasas or not.”
The Chief Minister also raised the issue of the Beldanga unrest. He said, “Why did the former Chief Minister say that after the national highway was closed in Beldanga for three days, they will do a little bit on Friday!” Then the Chief Minister stood up in the Assembly and said to the minorities, “After the NIA went, the former Chief Minister inquired about you? He is busy checking whether his grandfather’s house was demolished, whether his nephew went to jail. He does not think about you.”
The BJP has repeatedly complained that Mamata Banerjee has used minorities as a vote bank. Political analysts have also said that 30 percent votes was a big factor in Mamata’s case. Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari, standing in the Assembly, explained that minorities will no longer be used as a vote bank.