TMC leader Babul Supriyo compares Indian and Pakistani Muslims in order to wash away the alleged “communal stamp” on him

*Paromita Das

Singer Babul Supriyo, who defected from the BJP to the TMC during the post-election violence unleashed by TMC goons on BJP workers, is now attempting to wash away the “communal stamp” that was placed on him.

Babul Supriyo was at an Iftar party with Firhad Hakim, the mayor of Kolkata and a TMC minister. After campaigning alongside Abhishek Banerjee, TMC leader and nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, the candidate from Ballygunge was attending the Iftar party.

Speaking to the media after the campaign, Babul Supriyo equated Indian and Pakistani Muslims.
Babul Supriyo, who was wearing an Islamic skull cap, stated, “A fake communal stamp was imposed over my image.” But this is not the case. Previously, I could only meet 70% of the population; now, I am free to meet 100% of the population. “I am one of the few singers who has performed in Pakistan.”

According to reports, after saying this, Babul Supriyo told the media that whoever wants to stir up a controversy over his statements can do so, and he will have nothing to say to them.

Babul Supriyo’s statement comes ahead of the April 12th byelections, in which he will face BJP’s Keya Ghosh, also a singer and politician. It’s worth noting that, while attending Iftar in Kolkata, where presumably only Indian Muslims were present, Babul Supriyo felt compelled to flaunt his “secular” credentials by claiming to have performed in Pakistan. Surpriyo effectively equated Indian and Pakistani Muslims by stating that one can only work for Indian Muslims if they have no problem with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Pakistani Muslims, who regularly infiltrate India and carry out terrorist attacks, killing security personnel and civilians.

By saying this, Babul Supriyo was attempting to justify his switch from the BJP to the TMC, which had been met with criticism from a number of quarters. After the West Bengal Assembly Elections in 2021, Babul Supriyo switched parties and joined the TMC. Supriyo had haphazardly abandoned his cadre when TMC goons were murdering, raping, and torching the homes of BJP workers, claiming that he was afraid to venture into areas where violence was taking place for fear of being attacked.

Supriyo switched parties and joined the TMC shortly after abandoning his party workers who were being attacked by TMC goons. At the time, he was chastised not only for abandoning his party cadre. but also for compromising with the ideals he claimed to stand for in order to save his life because he was afraid of what the TMC might do to him. Now, it appears that Babul Supriyo has decided to criticize his former party, the BJP, by claiming that when he was a member of it, he could only meet and greet 70% of the population, implying that he was previously only allowed to meet Hindus and that the BJP was communal. However, now that he is a member of the TMC, he is free to meet India’s Muslim population.

Supriyo not only said this to appease the Muslims and toe the party line, but he also equated Indian Muslims with Pakistani Muslims, implying that one had to be pro-Pakistan to appease the Indian Muslim population.