‘Anyone trying to disturb harmony will be thrown out’

Without naming the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised the party and said that its effort to insight communal violence in Bengal will be fruitless.

“West Bengal is based on rock solid communal and religious harmony. Anyone trying to disturb the fabric will be thrown out,” she said while inaugurating a host of development projects at New Town, Rajarhat. 

Referring to the Kaliachak incident as a crime, she said the police have already taken action. 

However, some people were trying to make this a religious issue and are fanning religious sentiments, she said.  

It may be recalled that all India BJP president Amit Shah had accused Chief Minister of backing communal forces for dirty and narrow politics at a meeting held in Howrah on January 25. 

Banerjee said the people of West Bengal were conscious and no communal card by any political party would be effective. “I was born in the environment of communal amity. I can change my attire, but how can I change my mindset,” she said. 

She regretted that December 25, which is celebrated as the Christmas Day throughout the world and it is observed as a holiday was cancelled by the Centre without assigning any cause. 

Lauding the work of state government for development of minority community, she said the government was committed to work for development of all backward communities. 

She had also inaugurated the second campus of Aliah University. 

From the same programme, Banerjee had inaugurated various projects including Madinatul Hujjaj at New Town, AK Fazlul Huq Muslim Girls’ Hostel, Government Girls’ General Degree College at Ekbalpore, Motels for tourists at Bongaon, solar-power lights at different schools in North 24-Parganas, water reservoir at Bidhannagar Municipal Chowk and 23 buses which will operate on 11 different routes.  

Besides inaugurating the projects, she has also laid the foundation stones of proposed Auqaf Bhavan, Empowerment Centre, Haj House-cum-girl student hostel at Kaikhali, Aliah University Staff Quarter, widening of two roads in North 24-Parganas, bus terminus at Naihati and convention centre in North Barrackpore.