‘Pure Venom’: BJP Slams TMC Mayor Over ‘Muslims Can Be Bigger Than Majority’ Remark – News18

Last Updated:December 15, 2024, 13:04 IST

Firhad Hakim’s remark sparked a massive row, drawing a sharp response from the BJP leaders, who accused him of “openly inciting communal hatred.”

The West Bengal BJP on Sunday launched a blistering attack on Kolkata mayor and senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim over his “Muslims could become bigger than the majority” remark by describing the comment as “pure venom.”

Hakim’s remark sparked a massive row, drawing a sharp response from the BJP leaders, who accused him of “openly inciting communal hatred and pushing a dangerous agenda”.

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar shared the video on his X handle and dared the opposition alliance to respond to the remarks. CNN-News18 couldn’t independently verify the authenticity of the video. 

“Pure venom from the Kolkata Mayor, TMC’s Firhad Hakim openly inciting communal hatred and pushing a dangerous agenda. This isn’t just hate speech – it’s a blueprint for creating a Bangladesh-type situation in India. Why is the INDI Alliance silent? I challenge them to voice their opinion on this,” he said.

Majumdar also trained guns at TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying that Hakim’s video exposed her “anti-India” mindset.

“Your hypocrisy and anti-India mindset stand exposed. Is this the future you envision? Every Bharatwasi must condemn this mindset! Our nation will not tolerate such threats to its unity and integrity.”

What Firhad Hakim Said

In the viral video, Hakim was seen addressing an education event under the Firhad 30 initiative to train students for competitive exams.

“We are from a community that accounts for 33 per cent of Bengal’s population. In India, however, we account for 17 per cent (of the population) and are called a minority community. But we don’t think of ourselves as a minority. We believe that if Allah’s grace is with us, we can become a bigger majority than the majority one day,” Hakim said.

“It will be Allah’s grace and we will achieve this with our strength. Whenever something happens, our community holds a candlelight march, saying, ‘We want justice’. Holding marches for justice won’t help, raise your stature to the point where you can deliver justice instead of demanding it,” he added.

BJP Mounts Attack

The remarks also drew a sharp response from BJP’s IT in-charge and co-incharge of party affairs in Bengal Amit Malviya, who called it “deeply concerning.”

“Kolkata’s Mayor, Firhad Hakim, previously revealed his true intentions by describing non-Muslims as ‘unfortunate’ and endorsing Dawat-e-Islam’s efforts to convert Hindus to Islam. He has now claimed that West Bengal, along with the rest of India, will soon have a Muslim majority.

A four-time MLA, Mr. Hakim serves as the Mayor of Kolkata and Bengal’s Minister for Urban Development, Municipal Affairs, and Housing. He is a member of Trinamool Congress’s national working committee and one of Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted aides. The party leadership has yet to respond to his remarks.