Posted by Kolkata: A verbal spat erupted between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday over a cartoon posted on X (formerly Twitter).The cartoon, posted from the official X handle of TMC, showcased West Bengal Chief Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee in a position that appeared as if she was kicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sharing the illustration, the TMC tweeted, “Bengal’s gates are fortified, and Smt. @MamataOfficial stands guard! The Bohiragoto BJP Jomidars who are trying to crawl their way in, will find themselves tumbling head over heels.”
Bengal’s gates are fortified, and Smt. @MamataOfficial stands guard!
The Bohiragoto BJP Jomidars who are trying to crawl their way in, will find themselves tumbling head over heels. pic.twitter.com/pz6jdBw1Dn
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 29, 2024
BJP alleges ‘direct threat’ to PM’s life
Reacting to the cartoon tweet, Amit Malviya, the national in-charge of Information technology for the BJP, called it a “direct threat to the life” of the Prime Minister of India. According to Malviya, the cartoon shared by TMC and the caption posted with it portrayed a sinister plot against BJP leaders.
He also urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to probe the matter to prevent any harm to the PM, Union Minister and other BJP leaders.
Mamata Banerjee, the sitting CM of Bengal, is shown kicking the Prime Minister of India. This is a direct threat to harm the life and kill the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and BJP Bengal leaders.
Will @ECISVEEP take note and check this sinister plot before it is too late? https://t.co/Bbkw0N5TGN
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) March 29, 2024
In a post on X, Amit Malviya said, “Mamata Banerjee, the sitting CM of Bengal, is shown kicking the Prime Minister of India. This is a direct threat to harm the life and kill the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and BJP Bengal leaders. Will ECI take note and check this sinister plot before it is too late?”
Meanwhile, in another post shared on X by the West Bengal unit of BJP, the party said, “The message Mamata Banerjee is giving: Sheikh Shahjahan will rape this young girl and still walk free. You, the BJP people, won’t be able to save her. I am willing to sacrifice every woman and reduce Bengal to #Sandeshkhali for votes.”
The message Mamata Banerjee is giving : Sheikh Shahjahan will rape this young girl and still walk free. You, the BJP people, won’t be able to save her. I am willing to sacrifice every woman and reduce Bengal to #Sandeshkhali for votes. https://t.co/JPI78I0CjA pic.twitter.com/OSohqIA7DK
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) March 29, 2024
2019 Lok Sabha election results in West Bengal
The war of words between the TMC and the BJP took place ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. With 42 Lok Sabha seats, West Bengal is among the states where the polls will be held in seven phases.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 22 seats, BJP 18 seats and the Congress just two seats. Moreover, the BJP acquired 40.64% of the total vote share. TMC gained victory in the polls in the state with 43.69% vote share.