West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken action against her minister, Firhad Hakim, after he stated that Muslims will soon become a "majority" in India.
Sources from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) said that Mamata directed Hakim not to attend any public events during Christmas celebrations to avoid further questions about his controversial statement.
Hakim, the state urban development minister and Kolkata’s mayor, was supposed to attend several events in Kolkata for the Christmas celebrations. However, Mamata's instructions meant he was absent from these occasions.
A senior TMC leader explained, "The chief minister is very upset with Hakim’s comment, and the BJP is using it for political gain. She does not want him to attend public events where he could be asked about his statement."
Hakim's absence was particularly noticeable at the inauguration of a new Infosys development center at New Town near Kolkata, a project funded by the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), which Hakim heads.
The absence was remarked upon by another TMC leader, who noted that Mamata, while launching the project, described it as a "New Year gift" to the state without having Hakim by her side.
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The TMC condemned Hakim’s statement, with the party releasing a statement saying that any comments threatening Bengal’s social fabric would be dealt with seriously.
"The TMC strongly condemns Firhad Hakim’s statement. These remarks do not reflect our party's position. We remain committed to peace, unity, and communal harmony," the statement said.
In the video, Hakim was seen telling a gathering, "In West Bengal, we are 33 percent, and across India, we are only 17 percent. We are called a minority, but soon we will no longer be. If Allah blesses us and we get an education, we will become the majority."
The remarks sparked backlash from opposition parties, with the BJP using them to criticize Mamata’s alleged appeasement of Muslims.
Hakim made his statement while the BJP was focusing on the issue of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, hoping to rally Hindu votes in Bengal for upcoming elections.
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