Surat: Referring to the recent violence and communal tension in Malda district of West Bengal, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said discussions on communal issues cannot be one-sided.
Addressing a press conference here, Javadekar criticised the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for not allowing BJP’s fact-finding team to visit the area.
“In Malda, state police acted like mute spectators when thousands of locals attacked BSF posts. Though this entire issue is communal, state government has refused to intervene.
“The state government also stopped our team from going there. We condemn this step as it was undemocratic… We believe that discussions on communal issues should not be one-sided. Strict action must be taken in this incident,” he said.
Javadekar claimed that the Union Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was doing a very good job of ushering in a corruption-free regime.
Asked about reasons for BJP’s debacle in Bihar Assembly polls and local body polls in rural Gujarat, Javadekar said the party didn’t lose because people did not like the performance of Modi government.
“In Bihar, three parties which used to fight independently earlier came together this time. That is the only reason we lost. There is no other reason. Local body polls are fought on local issues and we do not take them into consideration,” he said.