NEW DELHI: Samik Bhattacharya, the president of the West Bengal unit of the BJP, issued a strong warning to party workers on Saturday, cautioning them against adopting an attitude of arrogance. He underscored that their infamous “egg therapy” could easily backfire if they are not careful. “No system can function or endure for a long time by stifling protests. Historical autocracies invariably disintegrate. If someone from our ranks exudes an air of superiority due to our holding 207 MLAs and takes to the streets, the repercussions will be dire,” he stated during an event in Kolkata, alluding to the number of seats the BJP secured in the assembly elections in April, which enabled them to establish their first government in the state.
Bhattacharya elaborated, noting, “The unwarranted egg therapy we are currently witnessing could easily reverse, affecting us adversely. Everyone, including my party colleagues, should grasp this point. Those ‘Sanatanis’ who have recently joined us with ambitions for power and advantage must tread carefully because the trajectory of those eggs can shift rapidly.” His remarks seemed directed at leaders who have transitioned from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which lost power in West Bengal after a 15-year rule.
The term “egg therapy” refers to incidents involving egg-pelting directed at TMC leaders following their electoral defeat. Bhattacharya also admitted that although the BJP has taken over political power in West Bengal, it has yet to fully eliminate the pervasive “culture of extortion.”
“Our government has only been in power for two months. We cannot claim to have solved all issues. If I were to assert that we have brought an end to extortion everywhere, that would be a falsehood. There remain inconsistencies. The populace has grown accustomed to navigating a system whereby easy money is made via syndicates. Not everything has transformed with this new political landscape,” Bhattacharya remarked to the audience.
He continued, “Some individuals aligned with the ruling party (BJP) within four hours of our victory, while others had suppressed ambitions that have now resurfaced. We are striving to control such tendencies within the party. Our Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, is also working diligently to curb these inclinations.”
Emphasizing the need to liberate the business environment from “partisan politics,” Bhattacharya stated that West Bengal is at the “threshold of breaking away from its checkered industrial past.”
“We must exclude partisan politics from this system. We have become part of a political society in West Bengal. We require liberation from it. Until Bengal manages to extricate itself from the pervasive culture of political infiltration in all aspects of life, no government can effectuate meaningful change and attract significant investment,” he stressed.
Moreover, Bhattacharya portrayed the BJP’s efforts to establish a government for West Bengal as a “partial success.”
“We haven’t succeeded in creating an entirely error-free environment, but we have substantially cultivated an investment climate devoid of fear. Now, if someone intends to establish a company, you can procure your brick, cement, and sand. If someone approaches you with ulterior motives, simply call the authorities. They will either vacate your premises or find themselves detained,” he concluded.
