It is unfortunate and deeply concerning that the Prime Minister of India has chosen to politicise a natural disaster without waiting for a proper investigation, especially while people in North Bengal are grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods and landslides.
When the entire local administration and police is engrossed in relief and rescue operations, the BJP leaders chose to go to the affected areas with a large convoy of cars and under security cover of the central forces and that too without any information to local police and administration. How can the state administration , local police or the TMC be blamed for the incident ?
The PM has blamed the TMC and the West Bengal Government outright without a shred of verified evidence, legal inquiry, or administrative report. This is not just a political low, it is a breach of the constitutional ethos the Prime Minister has sworn to uphold. In any democracy, the law must take its own course, and only due process can determine culpability - not a tweet from a political pulpit.
The incident occurred in a constituency where the people themselves have elected a BJP MLA. Yet the Prime Minister sees no contradiction in painting the incident as a reflection of TMC’s so-called “strongmanship.” Such sweeping, unsubstantiated generalisations are not only immature, but also, they are unbecoming of the highest office in the land.
Coming from a Prime Minister who visited Manipur only 964 days after it was engulfed in ethnic violence, the sudden concern for Bengal appears less like empathy and more like opportunistic political theatre.
Yes, we all condemn violence, unequivocally. But this is not the time for partisan chest-thumping. This is a time to help and heal.
It’s also evident that BJP is resorting to the tired North Bengal vs South Bengal narrative, hoping to polarise people ahead of elections. Let us be clear: Bengal is one - emotionally, culturally, and politically.
I urge the Prime Minister: Listen to the elected state government, not just your party colleagues. You are the Prime Minister of India, not just of BJP. Your responsibility lies in nation-building, not narrative-building.
At this critical hour, let us not deepen divides. Let us stand united beyond party lines, to serve the people who need us the most. Let’s leave politics for another day.