hargram: Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday criticised BJP’s poll promise to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Bengal within six months of coming into office, alleging it would dictate how people practise their religion.“Earlier, Amit Shah mentioned implementing UCC if they come into office. UCC is basically forcing on you how you shall practise your religion. And the most affected by this will be the STs and Kudmis. Every individual is different from one another. But with UCC, they will decide how we shall practise our religion. And they spoke of implementing it within six months,” Banerjee said at a rally in Kultikri, Gopiballavpur.With BJP fielding Rajesh Mahato, a Kudmi neta in Gopiballavpur — a seat held by Trinamool since 2011 — Banerjee warned against attempts to divide votes in the tribal belt. “On one hand, our candidate is Ajit Mahato, and on the other , you all know the BJP candidate from here. In the last 2021 polls, he contested as an independent candidate and got around 1,500 votes. Today, he has hurt Kudmi sentiments, cracked a deal and joined BJP to become the candidate,” he said.“To all the Kudmi brothers and sisters here, if the BJP candidate comes to you urging for votes, question them. We all support the demands of Kudmi Samaj. Two months back, the Mamata Banerjee govt sent a letter to the central govt for the inclusion of the Kudmali language in the 8th Schedule. But the Centre did not do anything about it. I challenge — if BJP or Rajesh Mahato can prove me wrong, I shall quit politics. And now they are stating that they will include the Kudmali language in the 8th Schedule and give it its due respect. But why haven’t they done it so far? They can extend the tenure of ED/CBI directors with one letter, then why can’t they give approval to the demand of the Kudmi brothers?” he said.“This BJP has misled you. They have created a rift between Adivasi and Kudmi, SC and ST, Hindu and Muslim, farmer and worker,” Banerjee added.
