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regular-article-logo Friday, 04 July 2025

Suvendu's hard Hindutva vs Samik's middle path: Opposing views emerge from top BJP leaders

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who spoke just before Bhattacharya at the programme in the Science City auditorium, urged the people to consolidate Hindu votes to oust chief minister Mamata Banerjee

Snehamoy Chakraborty Published 04.07.25, 10:14 AM
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee felicitates Samik Bhattacharya when the latter took charge as the Bengal party chief, as MP Ravi Shankar Prasad looks on in Calcutta on Thursday. (PTI picture) 

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee felicitates Samik Bhattacharya when the latter took charge as the Bengal party chief, as MP Ravi Shankar Prasad looks on in Calcutta on Thursday. (PTI picture) 

The ascension ceremony of Samik Bhattacharya as the new Bengal BJP president, held amid much fanfare on Thursday, exposed the confusion within the party’s state unit about its ideological direction — whether to pursue hardline or softline Hindutva.

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who spoke just before Bhattacharya at the programme in the Science City auditorium, urged the people to consolidate Hindu votes to oust chief minister Mamata Banerjee. In contrast, Bhattacharya, in his maiden speech as the Bengal BJP chief, took a more conciliatory tone, stating that the BJP was not against Muslims but worked for their welfare.

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“Let’s unite the Hindus. In the last Lok Sabha election, 68 per cent of Hindu voters cast their votes. If we can ensure 80 per cent turnout from Hindu voters, we can oust this Muslim League-II government, which is an affront to Hindus,” Adhikari declared from the stage, citing recent incidents of violence against women.

Bhattacharya, an RSS choice, however, struck a completely different note in
his address.

“We are not against minorities. We are not against Muslims. We fight because we want to replace stones with books in the hands of your children. Those who are on the streets with swords; we want to replace those weapons with pens. This is the BJP’s mission, and we will ensure it. We want both Durga Puja and Muharram processions to take place on the same roads, without discrimination or division,” Bhattacharya said.

He also urged Muslim youth to draw inspiration from icons like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Syed Mustafa Siraj and Syed Mujtaba Ali, instead of following divisive voices like Trinamool Congress’s Raninagar MLA Humayun Kabir.

Asked about the noticeably different tone of his speech, Bhattacharya told The Telegraph: “Suvendu Adhikari speaks in his style, but our party line has always been consistent. Modi ji also speaks about Pasmanda (marginalised) Muslims. I repeatedly said that 90 per cent of those killed in violence in our state are Muslims — and they don’t blame the BJP, they blame the Trinamool Congress.”

Many BJP leaders present at the event reportedly raised their eyebrows at Bhattacharya’s remarks, which seemed far removed from the party’s recent hardline, Hindu-centric stance that has often sidelined Muslims. Several leaders, including Adhikari, have publicly stated that the BJP does not need Muslim votes.

“Samik da was always different, and he proved that he would not change his ideological stand. The aggressive Hindutva line has only helped Trinamool consolidate Muslim votes to its advantage. There are many Muslims who dislike Trinamool but can’t support us because of our hardline image,” a BJP leader said.

Political analysts also observed a stark contrast between the political lines of Adhikari and Bhattacharya and believe the dual approach might confuse voters from both communities.

“There’s no doubt that Samik Bhattacharya and Suvendu Adhikari stood on opposite ends of the Hindutva debate. While Adhikari continued his hardline rhetoric, Bhattacharya attempted to connect with educated, disillusioned Muslims. But if the party tries to tread both paths, it will end up confusing both Hindus and Muslims,” said political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty.

Why, then, did Bhattacharya choose to make such a statement on his very first day as party president?

“This difference stems from their political upbringing. Adhikari is a professional politician. Bhattacharya, on the other hand, is an old RSS swayamsevak who advocates a political line historically endorsed by the Sangh Parivar,” Chakraborty said.

Trinamool criticised the conflicting tones of the two leaders, though it said Bhattacharya’s approach was more civil. “How can the BJP function when its two top leaders are singing completely different tunes? While one is aggressively pushing Hindutva, the other wants to woo Muslims. Still, it’s good to see Samik trying to restore civility to a party dominated by discourtesy. But even that won’t save them,” said Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh.

CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said: “The BJP has realised that hardline Hindutva doesn’t work in Bengal, and that’s why they’re now aiming for pluralistic politics. But ultimately, the final word will come from the RSS — which influences both Trinamool and the BJP.”

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