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Time of India

Oppn must unite to save Bengal, says Samik

1 2 Kolkata: With the state heading for polls in 2026, Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday called for "greater unity" among the opposition to "save West Bengal" and "Bengali asmita". Speaking at an event to celebrate the birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Bhattacharya also urged Trinamool members to join hands to save Bengal. "We will have enough time for politics. But we will have to save the state even before that. Where will the political parties go if Bengal is disintegrated?" he said. "I am even asking Trinamool workers to protect Bengali asmita," he added. Last week, during his maiden speech as state president, Bhattacharya had emphasised the need to put aside political differences and "save the state". You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "During Partition, Gandhism, Marxism or messages of secularism did not work in Bangladesh. Fundamentalists forced Hindus to leave the country. Pramod Dasgupta and Jyoti Basu fled Bangladesh. Even (Dum Dum MP) Saugata Roy's forefathers left Bangladesh and took shelter in India," he said at Sunday's programme in Lake Town. Referring to the vote on the Partition in the Bengal legislative assembly on June 20, 1947, Bhattacharya said Basu had defied his party line. "Today, efforts are being made to forget that history, and they (Trinamool) are celebrating Poila Baisakh (April 15) as Pashchimbanga Divas," he said. "Islamic fascism is gripping Bangladesh and should not touch Bengal. A single political party cannot stop that; it needs people from across the political spectrum to join the fight," he said, calling for the opposition to unite. "I pay tribute to those MLAs who voted for Syama Prasad's proposal despite being elected as Congress members. I pay tribute to Jyoti Basu and Ratanlal Brahma, who voted to create West Bengal," Bhattacharya said. "Those who have been demanding education in their mother tongue are now opposing the New Education Policy," he added.