Kolkata, April 5: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday accused the West Bengal government of drifting away from constitutional principles, claiming that the state had become increasingly unsafe under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He cited the recent Malda incident as an example of the state's deteriorating law and order.

Pradhan's remarks come amid a tense political climate, with rising tensions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections on April 23 and 29.

BJP leaders have consistently argued that the people of West Bengal are "fed up" with what they term the TMC's "misrule," and are demanding a change in leadership. The BJP has been emphasizing its growing popularity across the state, positioning itself as the party ready to take the reins in the upcoming elections.

While addressing the media in Jhargram, Pradhan expressed his confidence in the BJP’s prospects, suggesting that the state could soon see the formation of a "double-engine" government with the BJP in power.

"Bengal is slowly slipping out of constitutional control. Under Mamata Banerjee, the state has no vision for good governance. Instead, fear and intimidation have taken the place of proper administration, which is against the very spirit of the Constitution," Pradhan said.

The Union Minister referred to a troubling incident in Malda, where judicial officers responsible for overseeing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were allegedly surrounded and attacked by a mob. He described the incident as a glaring example of the state's declining law and order situation.

"The Malda incident is a prime illustration of the prevailing chaos. The situation got so out of hand that the Supreme Court had to intervene, and the Army was called in. This is not the behavior we expect from a state that upholds law and order. Bengal is not safe under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership," Pradhan emphasized.

Pradhan also highlighted the BJP's growing presence in West Bengal over the last decade, citing its performance in recent Lok Sabha elections and its position as the principal opposition party in the previous Assembly term.

"The BJP has made substantial progress in Bengal, and this time, the people are determined to see a double-engine government in the state," he concluded.