BJP wants to destroy communal harmony in West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday appealed to the people of the country to raise their voice against the "torture of BJP" while accusing the saffron party of trying to create a divide between Bengalis and non-Bengalis people in the state.

Addressing her first political programme post Lok Sabha poll debacle, the Trinamool Congress chief said, "The BJP is trying to create a Bengali, non-Bengali divide in the state. They want to destroy the communal harmony in the state. I hate a party like BJP. I would urge the people of this country to raise their voice against communal divide".

Banerjee took part in a sit-in organised by her party outside the Naihati Municipality on Thursday to protest against the alleged violence perpetrated by BJP after the announcement of Lok Sabha election results. "More than 400 Bengali families have been rendered homeless by goons of the BJP. I will not spare the goons," she said.

Alleging that some police officials are acting on directions from BJP leaders, she said, "We will not tolerate it. We will take action against them".

Banerjee asked party cadres to form 'Banga Janani Bahini' and 'Jai Hind Bahini' to counter the march of the BJP-RSS in the state. "These two outfits will work in all the blocks of the state and will counter the BJP and the RSS".

The Trinamool Congress chief claimed that some BJP workers had verbally abused her when she was on her way to attend the rally. "Is this democracy?" Banerjee asked.

Amid this high-octane political drama between Trinamool Congress and BJP, a furious Mamata skipped the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and rejected BJP's claim that scores of saffron party workers were killed in violence perpetrated by her party.

Banerjee's announcement on Twitter came in apparent remonstrance after the families of over 40 BJP workers allegedly slain by her party were taken by train to New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

In its best-ever performance, the BJP has won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal, only four less than the Trinamool’s 22. The remaining two seats were bagged by the Congress, while the Left Front drew a blank.