‘BJP will change the Constitution to deprive SC/ST people of their rights’

Kolkata: Conducting public meetings in favour of his party candidates in Purulia and Midnapore, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the BJP wants to change the Constitution to suppress the rights of minorities while urging people to request for a performance report card from saffron brigade candidates when they come to ask for votes.

In Purulia, Abhishek told the gathering that the BJP is constantly attacking the persons belonging to Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste and wants to change the Constitution to take away their reservations. He said that the BJP has mentioned in its manifesto how it wants to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which if implemented the most affected will be the people from Adivasis, SC and ST communities. He said it would infringe on the rights of people in how they want to practice their culture and religion.

Banerjee alleged that the Adivasis may lose their right to property and added that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to give the Kurmi community the status of ST he failed to deliver on his promises.

Further, Abhishek urged the people to ask for a performance report card from the BJP candidates when they come to ask for votes. He told the gathering how the Mamata Banerjee government had increased allowances for women of both general and SC/ST categories under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. He assured this scheme will never be stopped till the TMC is in power.

He added that the BJP is now on the back foot after their “conspiracy” in Sandeshkhali got exposed through video footage. He said that the state BJP leaders sold the dignity of women in Sandeshkhali to their Delhi bosses. He urged the people to teach the BJP such a lesson that they cannot come to power for the next 50 years.