BJP Minister Babul Supriyo Terms Dilip Ghosh's 'Dog' Remark 'Very Irresponsible'

Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh’s shocking remarks on CAA violence has rattled the party leadership. A day after Ghosh’s ‘shoot like dog’ video went viral, Union Minister Babul Supriyo came forward to clear the air. In what can be called as a damage control exercise, Supriyo took to Twitter to put forward BJP’s stand. Quoting a media report, Supriyo said that the BJP has northing to do with Ghosh’s remark. Distancing the BJP from Ghosh’s statement, Supriyo also said that none of the BJP governments have ever resorted to shooting down the protesters. On Sunday, addressing a public meeting in Bengal's Nadia, Dilip Ghosh had criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "for not opening fire and ordering a lathi-charge" on those destroying railway property and public transport.

Damage Control

“BJP, as a party has nothing to do with what a DIlipGhosh may hv said•It is a figment of his imagination&BJP Govts in UP, Assam hv NEVER EVER resorted to shooting people for whatever reason whatsoever•Very irresponsible of DilipDa to hv said what he said (sic), Supriyo said on Twitter.

What Dilip Ghosh had said?

The BJP MP from Kharagpur, Dilip Ghosh is known for making controversial statements. During pro-CAA rally, Ghosh had said that, “Mamata didi was not taking any step against the person who had destroyed public property as they were her voters.” He further said that the state governments such as Uttar Pradesh “had not only booked such persons but also charged baton and shot them too.” He had further said that, "The property that were being destroyed, does it belongs to anyone's father's? In Assam, UP, our governments have shot these people like dogs.”

Whose loss is it anyway?

BJP has been facing lots of opposition over the controversial citizenship law. West Bengal is among the worst-hit states in terms of violence. Bengal saw the worst damages to the public property during the protests. The Indian Railways claimed to have suffered losses of properties worth Rs 84 crore in violence related to protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and NRC in West Bengal from December 13 to 15, according to reports filed by it before the Calcutta High Court.

The Eastern Railway said in an affidavit before a division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice A Banerjee on Friday that it suffered the brunt of the protests with losses amounting to Rs 72.2 crore, with the maximum being in the Sealdah division, which suffered damages worth Rs 46 crore.