Don’t get provoked by those playing communal card: Mamata Banerjee

Without specifically naming any party, she said: “There are some who always try to play the communal card and divide society on the basis of religion.” At the core committee meeting of Trinamool Congress held at her residence on Saturday, Banerjee had asked party leaders to go to the people and help maintain communal peace and harmony, which right-wing organisations like Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh were trying to disturb. She criticised the two organisations for their communal agenda.

Her latest statement against communal politics came during the induction programme for 57 newly-acquired fire-tenders into the state Fire and Emergency Services department on Monday. The fire-tenders have been bought at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore as part of an upgradation programme taken up by Fire and Emergency Services department.

She said a lot of work has been done in Bengal in last five years and more would be done in due course. She said: “Many new fire stations have come up throughout the state and in the future thrust will be on the development of Fire and Emergency Services department.”  Fire and Emergency Services minister Sovan Chatterjee was also present at the function.

Urging people not to get provoked by those who were trying to create fissures between the people, the Chief Minister said: “There are some who are more interested in destruction and death than constructive work and life. But, we are for life. Let there be harmony and peace.”  “Bengal has always held the flag of peace and harmony high. Here the soil speaks communal harmony. This is the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Kazi Nazrul, who have spoken about religious harmony and seen God in human beings,” she remarked, adding that there are some who were conspiring to lower the flag of harmony, which Bengal has held high before the world.

She maintained that every effort should be made to thwart communal forces and uphold Bengal’s long tradition of live and let live. She said that the administration was keeping a close watch on the situation and any attempt to fan communalism would be dealt with firmly. Banerjee asked her Cabinet colleagues to go to the people and ask them not to get provoked by those who were trying to spread communal tension during the festive season.