Asansol (West Bengal) [India], February 26 (ANI): BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her recent remarks on the Mahakumbh, questioning her understanding of religious history and accusing her of making misleading statements for political reasons.

Speaking on Banerjee's comments regarding the Mahakumbh, the BJP leader said, 'Our Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, as we have heard, has a Master's degree in Religious History. But perhaps the education system was lacking when she studied, because she didn't study properly. What she is saying now shows a lack of basic education.'

She further added, 'If she has studied Religious History, she should have studied it properly. But what we are seeing now is that she is speaking to appease people. The things she is saying today, about the Mahakumbh, are wrong.'

Banerjee claimed that the statement about the Mahakumbh occurring after 144 years was incorrect. 'After 144 years, Mahakumbh will come. This is not right. If I'm wrong, correct me. As per my knowledge, the punya snan (holy dip) system comes every year. Actually, we organise the Gangasagar Mela. That's why I know about the holy dip,' she added.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh also criticised Banerjee, responding to her remarks on the Kumbh and commenting on Bengal's law and order situation. Speaking on the recent recovery of bombs in Amdanga, he alleged that criminal activities were thriving in the state due to a lack of police intervention. 'There are no restrictions, no police action. People who are involved in anti-social activities are working openly, doing business with the left-wing, sending people to other states, and the people here are suffering,' Ghosh said.

He also raised concerns about the rising voter turnout in Bengal, particularly in border areas, questioning the legitimacy of new voters. 'Mamata Banerjee's party, like in Delhi, is showing increased voter support in Bengal. The number of voters at the border has doubled, with lakhs of voters increasing, but where do these people come from? They get ration cards, voter cards, and they are causing unrest across the country,' he claimed.

On the state of Bengal's tea industry, Ghosh lamented its decline while praising the progress of Assam's tea sector. 'The tea industry in Bengal is in such a poor condition, but if you go to Assam, it is doing well, with more profits. But there is no contribution from the current government, only politics. The BJP is working to improve the conditions of the labourers there, and will continue to do so,' he said.

He further praised the rapid development in the North-East over the past decade, crediting the central government's efforts. 'The development in the North-East in the last ten years has never happened before. High-speed expressways are reaching every state, new bridges are being built, and people there feel they are seeing progress. They now feel that they are in India, and the central government is providing them with all kinds of services,' Ghosh said.

Commenting on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, he accused the previous Delhi government of large-scale corruption. 'The most corrupt and lying government was in Delhi, but that has now changed. All their wrongdoings will slowly come out. Watch and see. Thousands of crores have been looted by them. Those who are in jail, or those who are not, will all go to jail,' he claimed. (ANI)