Chirag Paswan slams Mamata Banerjee for her 'if you burn...' warning

Patna: Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her 'provocative' remarks wherein she warned that other states might witness violence and unrest if attempts were made to create trouble in Bengal.

Banerjee, who's under fire following the nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, said at an event on Wednesday, “Modi babu, you are trying to create unrest in Bengal through your people. But remember, if you burn Bengal, Assam, Northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will burn too."

Speaking to mediapersons in Patna on Friday, Chirag Paswan said, “A Chief Minister who has failed to control her own state is now blaming others and suggesting that violence would impact states like Bihar too. She is implying that if Bengal burns, other states would also burn. There couldn't have been a more shameful statement... What kind of thinking is this? Does this suit someone holding the constitutional post of Chief Minister?”

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader also asked the West Bengal Chief Minister to focus on managing her own state.

“I want to ask Mamata Banerjee to look into her own state and improve the law and order situation. It is her responsibility to establish peace in the state,” said the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries.

He also criticised the Trinamool Congress chief's handling of the R.G. Kar incident, describing it as a failure of her governance.

“Despite such a massive incident occurring at a state-run medical college, hooligans reached there and destroyed evidence. This reflects the kind of governance she has established in West Bengal,” Paswan said.

He also claimed that the accused in the RG Kar case was facing several charges of domestic violence, yet he had free access to the hospital premises.

“How did he get free access? Who is responsible for this? The Chief Minister should avoid blaming others and instead focus on improving the law and order situation in West Bengal,” Paswan added.