STRESSING that there was a need to restore West Bengal’s “lost glory”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the present “appeasement politics” in the State has hurt its age-old tradition of upholding the nation’s spiritual consciousness. Maintaining that West Bengal is the land of luminaries such as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, Shah said the State once used to be the centre of spiritual awakening in the entire country.

 

“However, the politics of ‘tustikaran’ (appeasement) has hurt this glorious tradition of Bengal. I hereby call upon the people of Bengal to wake up and perform their responsibilities to bring back the glory of the State.” The top BJP leader, who visited Dakshineswar temple on the second day of his two-day visit to the State, was taken to the sanctum sanctorum of the centuries-old shrine, where he offered puja to the goddess. “I prayed for the well being of the entire State, the country and its people. We prayed that the country retains its position of glory in the world under the leadership of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi.”

 

Shah was greeted at the temple by members of State BJP Mohila Morcha, including its president Agnimitra Paul, who blew conch shells and put a ‘tilak’ on his forehead. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Blessed to have offered prayers at Maa Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata...” Shah on Friday paid a visit to a Matua household in Baguihati in the northern fringes of the city and had his lunch there.

 

Before reaching the residence of Nabin Biswas, a member of the community, Shah went to a temple of the Matuas in the locality where he spent some time. Shah, after offering prayers, headed to eminent vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty’s music school-cum- residence ‘Shrutinandan’, where he met his students and family members.

 

Chakraborty said that he was happy to have hosted Shah at his residence but harboured no intention to join the party. TMC slams Shah over appeasement remark, says communalism has no place in WB: The TMC leadership slammed Amit Shah over his ‘appeasement remark’ and said communal politics has no place in West Bengal. Mocking Shah’s scheduled visit to a Matua family for lunch, the party described his refugee community outreach as a ‘poll gimmick’ to divert attention from atrocities committed on backward communities in States ruled by the BJP.