Mamata Banerjee links PoK opportunity to forces' valour post-Pahalgam attack; raises foul play concerns

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that there was an opportunity to capture PoK following the Pahalgam attack when armed forces showed valor.

The West Bengal State Assembly passed a resolution on the Pahalgam attack, praising the armed forces.

Banerjee stated that a "Pulwama" should not happen before elections, to which BJP MLAs protested following her comments. She also said Pulwama should not happen before elections, hinting at some foul play.


Banerjee said, "We don't support terrorism. Terror has no caste, creed, or religion. We never support it. Regarding the Pahalgam attack on tourists and the way they were killed, we express condolences. It cannot be expressed in words, and we show solidarity. Those who lost their lives include Jhantu Ali Sheikh. Adil, a porter, also died. A minority youth sacrificed his life."

"My motherland is India. Vande Mataram, Jai Hind, and Jai Bangla. Many don't remember Bengal as motherland. We always express gratitude towards our motherland. The freedom movement happened in Bengal. We cannot forget our motherland," Banerjee said.

"I express gratitude to the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. We salute them. I believe terrorism has no religion, and no one can be pardoned," she said. She pointed out to a leader why women did not fight. CRPF, BSF, CAPF, and several lakhs of army personnel are there. Of those who died, why was not a single police officer there? The terrorists involved should have been arrested.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari thanked the chair for moving the resolution. "We support the resolution and participated in the debate," he said.

Banerjee also said that Bengal is the only elected body where a resolution is passed. All state assemblies, the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha should bring such a thing.

The families were all Hindu. Terrorists don't understand any religion, she noted.