'Hindus should keep weapons at home': BJP leader sparks controversy in Bengal

Kolkata: A fresh political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after a video surfaced purportedly showing senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh urging Hindus to keep weapons at home for self-defence. The remarks, made during a public rally in North 24 Parganas district, drew sharp criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which condemned the comments as “provocative.”

In the viral video, Ghosh, a former West Bengal BJP president, can be heard saying, "Hindus are buying television sets, refrigerators and new furniture. But they don't have a single weapon at home. When something happens, they keep calling the police. The police will not save you."

Referring to the increasing scale of Ram Navami processions, he added, "Ten years ago, people didn't know what Ram Navami processions were. Today, such processions are being held in every locality because Hindus have realised they need to unite. Even God doesn't stand by the weak."

The remarks have sparked outrage online and ignited a heated political debate. While the video has been widely circulated on social media platforms, PTI has not independently verified its authenticity. Multiple attempts to reach Ghosh for a comment went unanswered.

Reacting strongly, TMC MLA from Murshidabad, Humayun Kabir, accused the BJP leader of trying to incite communal unrest. "If one person attacks another, there will be retaliation. These BJP leaders are using religion to provoke Hindus and disrupt West Bengal's harmony and culture," Kabir said.

The comments come amid heightened tensions in the state, particularly in the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district, where at least three people have been killed and hundreds displaced following communal clashes linked to protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. PTI