Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters symbolically fed honey to a photograph of the TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, to protest against her alleged derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP youth leader Indranil Khan told reporters: “We deplore the way Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has talked about a respected leader like Modiji. This goes against the culture of Bengal and our heritage.”

During a rally organised by the BJP’s youth wing in Kolkata, party workers also carried copies of ‘Barnaparichay’, a popular primer written by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, a 19th-century polymath and a cultural icon in the state, as a reminder of the richness of the Bengali language.

Responding to Banerjee’s remarks against Modi, Khan added, “This also goes against the ideals of luminaries like Vidyasagar who had introduced ‘Barnaparichay’ to initiate Bengalis with the rich language. We are feeding honey on the lips of the CM (in a photo) as a symbolic step.”

During her recent protest demanding the release of MGNREGA funds for West Bengal, the chief minister allegedly used an offensive word against PM Modi.

“We do not want to beg from the BJP nor do we want their alms. By February 21, we will transfer money to the bank accounts of 21 lakh workers who did not get the money from the central government even after working for the 100-day work scheme (MGNREGA) in the last three years. This is my first step. The central government is thinking that they will starve Bengal to death. We will not allow them to succeed in that.”

She added, “This fight is for the people who have been deprived. We will continue our fight and not let a single poor person be deprived in Bengal. Till I am alive, I will fight for you people…I will play all out and win all out. If all states, all frontal organisations and all regional parties and national parties come forward, then I think the fall of the BJP is inevitable. If BJP thinks that they are going to stay here long, then they are wrong. They have tortured people for a long period.”

In response to the BJP’s actions, the Trinamool Congress emphasised the need for self-introspection by the BJP, alleging that the state’s leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, and others also use derogatory language when referring to Banerjee.

As reported by PTI, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh mentioned that CM Banerjee has consistently shown respect towards her political opponents. In contrast, leaders from the BJP, such as Suvendu Adhikari, allegedly label her as a ‘thief’ and use derogatory language when referring to national leaders of other non-BJP parties like the Congress.

“Let them apologise for such expressions first,” he said.