Kolkata, Jul 17 (IANS): Hours after stating that there is “no need for a minority morcha” in the BJP, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, clarified that his comments were taken out of context.

Delivering his introductory speech at the BJP’s working committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Adhikari said, “I have spoken about nationalist Muslims. You all said 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas'. But I will not say this anymore. Instead, I will say 'Jo Hamare Saath, Hum Unke Sath'. There is no need for a minority morcha."

Clarifying his comments, the BJP leader later said in a post on X that by coining the slogan 'Jo Hamare Saath, Hum Unke Sath', he meant that the party should be with those who are nationalists and stand for the country and Bengal.

“My statement is being taken out of context. What I meant was that the party should stand by those who are nationalists, and speak for the nation and Bengal. Those who don’t stand with us, and work against the interest of the nation and the state need to be exposed.

"Also, like Mamata Banerjee, we shouldn’t divide people into majority and minority and see them as Indians. I embody in letter and spirit our Prime Minister’s call for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas',” Adhikari said in the post.

Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the working committee meeting, Adhikari also said that his comments were based on his realisation that the Muslims in West Bengal don't vote for the BJP.

He also said that his comments on ‘Sabhka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ should be looked at from a political perspective, and not an administrative perspective.