Breakfast with Narendra Modi to chew on Bengal affairs

In all, 19 parliamentarians — 17 from the Lok Sabha and two from Rajya Sabha — are likely to have breakfast with the PM

Narendra Modi.: File photo

Arkamoy Datta Majumdar   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |    29.03.22  :   Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited all  BJP MPs from Bengal to a breakfast meeting at his official residence in Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the state’s law and order, the party’s Bengal unit chief and MP Sukanta Majumdar told the media on Monday.

In all, 19 parliamentarians — 17 from the Lok Sabha and two from Rajya Sabha — are likely to have breakfast with the prime minister.

“We will meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday as we have been invited to a breakfast meeting... Several issues will be discussed, but the primary and most important issue will be the deteriorating law and order of Bengal. He is already aware of the situation,” Majumdar said.

He added the delegation of MPs would request the prime minister to consider central intervention in the state.

“We have demanded central intervention as the law and order of the state has gone out of the hand of the chief minister and the state is run by goons… We will request the honourable prime minister to invoke whichever article of the Constitution he deems fit to intervene in the affairs of the state,” the Bengal BJP chief said.

According to sources in the party, Modi’s invitation to lawmakers from Bengal is a part of an outreach he takes up at the end of each Parliament session. At the end of the earlier session of the Parliament, Modi had met MPs from several other states. “Since he couldn’t meet MPs from Bengal on that occasion he has invited us now,” a BJP MP said on condition of anonymity.

Asked if legislators have been intentionally called at a time the party’s Bengal unit is trying to make a national issue of the alleged breakdown in the law and order of the state, this MP replied in the negative. “I don’t think so. The timing is just a coincidence.”

Majumdar said the party would start a statewide agitation in Bengal from Tuesday against the alleged assault on BJP MLAs inside the Assembly.

Memorandums will be given at local police stations.