'Ram-Bam', BJP, Left playing communal politics: CM Mamata Banerjee's Eid message

Kolkata, March 31 (IANS) In her message on the occasion of the Eid festival on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the two main opposition parties in the state, namely BJP and CPI(M)-led Left Front as equally responsible for propagating communal tension in the state. 

In attacking the two opposition forces, with opposite political philosophies, the Chief Minister described them as “Ram-Bam (Ram and Left).

“Ram-Bam these days raises the question of whether I am a Hindu or not. My answer is that I am Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh at the same time, and at the end of the day, I am an Indian. What are the opposition parties doing? They are just dividing people. My life is dedicated to the country,’ the Chief Minister said while addressing a gathering at Red Road in central Kolkata on the occasion of the Eid festival.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also issued a note of caution about possible attempts to create communal tension in the state over the forthcoming Ram Navami festival on April 6. The party’s general secretary and Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, accompanied her at the dais.

Without directly naming the BJP, she said that some vested interests have specific plans to create communal tension in the state. “Please do not get trapped in the provocation for creating riot-like situations. Always remember that your didi (referring to her) is there for you. Abhishek is there for you. The entire state government is there for you. Now, one can do anything with you,” the Chief Minister said.

Again without naming BJP, the Chief Minister issued an appeal to the people not to listen or interact with those political forces who were propagating divisive politics.

“Just give them a fitting reply at the right time. They are trying to dictate what people will eat and what they will wear. I do not want any riot-like situation to surface in the state. Always remember that the common people never propagate communal riots. Such riots are triggered by certain political parties,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, she also claimed that she followed the path of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda. “But I do not recognize the religious path propagated by one opposition party. The path propagated by them is anti-Hinduism,” the Chief Minister said.