The political atmosphere in West Bengal’s Malda district has been thrown into turmoil after a shocking statement made by Trinamool Congress MLA and district president Abdur Rahim Bakhshi. At a public rally in Inayatnagar under the Malatipur Assembly constituency, Bakhshi openly threatened BJP leaders with acid, an act that immediately triggered outrage across political circles and the wider public. His declaration, made in front of a large gathering, was seen as a dangerous escalation of political rhetoric. Even though the MLA faced severe backlash for his words, he attempted to defend himself by claiming that his statement was not undemocratic, a justification that has done little to calm the storm surrounding him.
The rally itself was organised by the Trinamool Congress as a protest against what it described as atrocities committed against the Bengali people living in other states, as well as against the alleged insult to the Bengali language. Speaking with intensity and anger, Bakhshi singled out BJP legislators, though without directly naming them, and accused them of showing utter disrespect to Bengalis. Referring indirectly to BJP MLA from Siliguri, Shankar Ghosh, Bakhshi stated that if any BJP member called migrant workers from Bengal “Bangladeshi Rohingyas,” he would pour acid into their throats to silence them permanently. Such imagery shocked many, as it symbolised a deepening culture of threats and aggression in political discourse.
Bakhshi went further by urging the people gathered at the rally to completely isolate BJP leaders in social life. He called on supporters to boycott the BJP, to destroy their party flags, and, if necessary, to physically assault BJP MPs. These remarks clearly crossed into the territory of encouraging violence, which immediately raised concerns about the safety of political workers and the dangers of normalising violent language in democracy. For many, his words were not just a reflection of personal anger but also of the toxic political environment that has become common in West Bengal’s volatile districts.
The Trinamool district president sought to justify his anger by arguing that Bengalis were being killed in states ruled by the BJP, while local BJP workers in Bengal remained silent about these atrocities. According to him, this silence was evidence that the BJP could not be trusted in Bengal and must not be allowed to gain ground in the region. However, critics argue that his explanation only masked an intent to stoke fear and hostility to consolidate political power.
BJP leaders reacted strongly to Bakhshi’s words. Amlan Bhadhuri issued a sharp condemnation, accusing the Trinamool Congress of promoting a dangerous culture of intimidation. Adding fuel to the political fire, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya reminded the public that this was not the first time Bakhshi had made such inflammatory remarks. He recalled a previous incident where Bakhshi had allegedly threatened to sever the hands and feet of workers belonging not only to the BJP but also to CPI(M) and Congress. Malviya argued that this consistent pattern revealed how deeply rooted political violence was within the TMC’s style of functioning.
Malviya further claimed that the use of violence and intimidation was not accidental but rather a deliberate strategy employed by the Trinamool Congress. He alleged that in districts such as Malda and Murshidabad, where he claimed that “illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas” formed Mamata Banerjee’s strong voter base, such threats were routinely used to maintain political dominance. He concluded his attack with a scathing question that struck at the heart of the issue: “Is this democracy or terror?” His words reflected the BJP’s larger narrative that the Trinamool Congress is systematically undermining democratic norms in West Bengal by normalising aggression and violence as tools of politics.
This incident highlights not only the intensifying conflict between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP but also the deteriorating quality of political dialogue in the state. What could have been a platform for raising concerns about the welfare of Bengalis across India instead became a stage for threats of acid attacks and violent boycott calls. Such developments have left many wondering whether the political battle in West Bengal is moving further away from democratic principles and inching closer to open confrontation driven by fear and intimidation.
