Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 17 (ANI): BJP leader Agnimitra Paul on Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC Government of prioritizing Muslims, claiming they work only for the 33% Muslim population in West Bengal.

Paul predicted the Modi government will come to power in West Bengal in 2026 but warns that if it doesn't, there might be a Muslim Chief Minister, which she believes the Hindu community should be aware of.

Agnimitra Paul said, 'Mamata Banerjee's government and Mamata Banerjee work only for 33 percent Muslims, this government is only for the Muslims. Modi government will definitely come to power in West Bengal in 2026, but God forbid if it doesn't come to power, there will be a Muslim Chief Minister here. The sooner the Hindu people of Bengal understand this, the better it is.'

Agnimitra Paul also criticized Mamata Banerjee for her response time to crisis situations. She highlighted three incidents: Murshidabad incident, Bada Bazar fire and Khidirpur fire.

Paul claimed Mamata Banerjee visited Murshidabad a month after Hindu brothers and sisters became refugees due to an unspecified incident. She visited Bada Bazar 3-4 days after a fire broke out, resulting in Hindu deaths. In contrast, Mamata Banerjee reached Khidirpur within a few hours after a fire broke out in a minority area.

'So much happened in Murshidabad, our Hindu brothers and sisters became refugees, but the Chief Minister did not have time to go there; she went after a month. Bada Bazar caught fire, Hindu people died, the Chief Minister went after 3-4 days but today there was a fire in Khidirpur area which is a minority area, today within a few hours, Mamata Banerjee reached there...,' said Paul.

Paul has accused Mamata Banerjee of indulging in 'Muslim appeasement' politics. 'The Muslim appeasement that Mamata Banerjee is doing is intolerable. The sooner the Hindus and nationalist Muslims of Bengal understand this, the better it is for Bengal,' she further said.

Earlier on Monday, CM Mamata Banerjee visited the wholesale market in Khidirpur area where a fire broke out on Sunday night, and took stock of the situation.

Mamata Banerjee said, 'We have instructed the mayor to completely rebuild the market in a scientific way so that there is no problem in the future. There will be a firefighting arrangement. They will build the market on behalf of the government. It will take time to conduct a full survey to find out how many shops were burned. An investigation will be conducted to find out how the fire started. We will give Rs 1 lakh to those whose shops are completely burnt, we will built the shop also and Rs 50,000 to those whose shops are partially burnt.'

She further said that whenever cylinders are placed, they should be tested.

'The present market will have to be shifted to build the new market. The new location has been selected by the Mayor and the Councillor for temporary operation so that the business is not affected,' she further added.

A massive fire broke out in the wholesale market in the Khidirpur area of Kolkata last night. Several shops were gutted by the fire. Visuals from the scene showed thick smoke billowing from the market area as fire personnel worked to douse the flames.

Notably, Mamata Banerjee's government has been involved in a controversy over OBC certificates issued to Muslims in West Bengal after 2010. The Calcutta High Court's decision to revoke these certificates has been met with opposition from Banerjee, who has pledged to contest the decision on behalf of Muslims.

Banerjee's government also introduced schemes like providing monthly stipends of Rs 2,500 to about 30,000 imams and promising land for them to build houses, which critics view as appeasement. (ANI)