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Key Points

A BJP tribal MP was attacked while delivering flood relief in West Bengal. The BJP is calling out opposition parties for their silence on the incident. They claim this shows tribal communities are disposable in selective outrage politics. This comes ahead of crucial state elections where tribal votes matter significantly.

Key Points: BJP Says Tribal MP Khagen Murmu Attack Shows Oppn Selective Outrage

  • BJP MP Khagen Murmu severely injured when vehicle attacked in Jalpaiguri district
  • Amit Malviya questions Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi's silence on attack
  • Political observers see bid to unite tribal voters ahead of Bengal polls
  • Scheduled Tribes voters shifting to BJP since 2019 Lok Sabha elections
3 min read

Tribal population dispensable in Oppn politics of selective outrage: BJP on Khagen Murmu attack

BJP's Amit Malviya questions opposition silence after tribal MP Khagen Murmu attacked in Bengal, calling tribals "dispensable" in selective outrage politics.

"Are Tribals simply dispensable in their politics of selective outrage? - Amit Malviya"

Kolkata, Oct 8

The attack on BJP Lok Sabha member from West Bengal, Khagen Murmu, who comes from a tribal background, exemplifies how the tribal population is "simply dispensable" in politics of selective outrage pursued not only by the Trinamool Congress but also by Congress and Left parties, the BJP stated on Wednesday.

BJP’s Information Technology Cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, issued a social media statement, where he questioned the silence of all the opposition parties in the country over the attack on Murmu, the two-time Lok Sabha member from Maldaha (Uttar) constituency in Malda district of West Bengal.

“Those who never miss a chance to sermonise about caste seem conveniently silent when a Tribal BJP MP is assaulted by a marauding Muslim mob in Bengal. Is it that Tribal lives and dignity don’t matter to Mamata Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi, and the Left ecosystem? Or are Tribals simply dispensable in their politics of selective outrage?” Malviya questioned in his social media statement.

The vehicle of Murmu, and the party’s Chief Whip in West Bengal Assembly, Shankar Ghosh, was attacked on Monday at Bamundanga in Jalpaiguri district while they were on their way to Nagrakata in the same district with relief material for the flood-affected people there.

While Murmu was severely injured in that attack, allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters, Ghosh sustained minor injuries. Both Murmu and Ghosh are currently under treatment at a hospital in Siliguri in the Darjeeling district.

Political observers feel that Malviya had deliberately tagged Congress and Left parties along with Trinamool Congress in this exercise of highlighting the issue of the attack on Murmu to unite the voters from the Scheduled Tribe community in favour of the BJP amid the crucial West Bengal Assembly polls next year.

The Scheduled Tribes constitute a substantial portion of the total voters in certain districts in both South Bengal and North Bengal. Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a majority of the voters from this community, especially in North Bengal, have shifted in favour of the BJP, which was also evident in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Scheduled Caste voters for a long time constituted a strong and dedicated vote-bank for CPI(M)-led Left Front since 1977-- the year which marked the beginning of the 34-year Left Front rule in West Bengal.

These voters shifted towards Trinamool Congress in a major way in the 2011 Assembly elections -- which marked the end of the 34-year Left Front rule and the beginning of the Mamata Banerjee-led Left Front regime.

However, since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has started enjoying a massive support of the Scheduled Caste voters in the state.

In another social media post, Malviya has accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of making false claims on Tuesday that the Union government was not providing support for rescue and rehabilitation efforts after the floods in North Bengal.

"She was lying - like always. The Central government has been actively coordinating relief operations, providing financial assistance, and deploying teams for rescue and restoration. The West Bengal administration is missing though. Instead of playing politics over people’s suffering, Mamata Banerjee should focus on governance, not grievance," he said on X.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
As someone from North Bengal, I've seen how tribal communities are used as vote banks but never truly represented. The silence from opposition parties speaks volumes about their priorities. Hope Murmu ji recovers soon.
S
Sarah B
While the attack is condemnable, I wish all parties would stop using such incidents for political mileage. Both sides are guilty of politicizing tragedies. We need genuine concern for tribal welfare, not just election rhetoric.
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Arjun K
The pattern is clear - when BJP makes inroads into tribal communities, violence follows. This happened in Bengal, Jharkhand, and other states. Tribal rights should be above party politics. Jai Adivasi! ✊
M
Michael C
Interesting how the political dynamics are shifting in West Bengal. The tribal vote was traditionally with Left, then TMC, now BJP. This incident might further consolidate tribal support for BJP in the upcoming elections.
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Kavya N
Why can't we have politics that actually works for tribal development instead of using them as pawns? Both central and state governments should focus on delivering real benefits to tribal communities rather than trading accusations.

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