Kolkata: Lauding the state government's move to end stipends paid to imams, muezzins, and purohits, the Bengal BJP on Monday expressed its support for all welfare schemes but emphasized that they should not be based on religious lines.
BJP's Stance on Religion-Based Welfare
Speaking on the issue, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said, "The Constitution does not allow discrimination among communities based on religion. The government will work for the people of Bengal and not any specific community. It will neither favour a Hindu nor a Muslim."
The state government on Monday decided to discontinue all assistance provided on the basis of religious classification starting June 1, canceling such stipends introduced under the previous government. "Priests and imams are part of society, and the government will not have any specific policy for their welfare. There are general social welfare schemes, and a welfare state should be equally responsible to a priest or a farmer," Bhattacharya added.
OBC Reservation and Religious Practices
On the OBC issue, the BJP stated that the state government's decision towards a complete overhaul of the reservation framework aligned with the party's stand against the inclusion of 75 Muslim communities in the state's OBC list. Clarifying the party and state government's stance on issues related to religion, Bhattacharya said, "A religious practice or process of worship does not define dharma. We will continue to oppose divisive policies based on religious practices or methods of worship."
The BJP, during the election campaign, had stressed "equal respect to all faiths" and opposed "appeasement." Reiterating the party's stance, Bhattacharya said, "Nobody can occupy government land and construct a mazar or mosque there. Similarly, nobody will be allowed to construct a Hanuman temple on land that belongs to the state. This practice needs to be stopped, and the government will ensure that." He further stated, "Cow slaughter in public will not be tolerated any more. We have specifically said that nothing can be done which can hurt the religious sentiments of another community."
Cattle Slaughter Norms
Speaking on cattle slaughter norms, state BJP spokesperson and lawyer Debjit Sarkar said the Bengal government was merely following the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950. "The law was made almost three decades before the BJP was formed. The government is implementing this and establishing the rule of law in the state," he said.
