All attempts to turn Bengal into Gujarat will be foiled: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that all attempts to turn Bengal into Gujarat by spreading canards will be foiled.

"Bengal is the land that brought fame to the entire country. Despite all efforts to spread canards about Bengal, it is my firm belief that a day will come when the entire world will salute the state because of its rich culture, talent and tradition. Even the country's first Nobel Prize is the contribution of Bengal. We will not allow Bengal to Gujarat," Banerjee said while addressing the inaugural programme of Bangla Sangeet Mela and Biswa Bangla Lok Sanskriti Utsav at Uttirnya at Alipore.

The Minister of state for the Information and Cultural Affairs department was also present in the programme that will continue for the next eight days and more than 5,000 artists will be participating in it.

Banerjee's statement comes the day after she gave reply to "all lies" of Union Home Minister Amit Shah by putting forward the correct facts that shows Bengal tops all other states in almost all major development programmes. It may be recalled that Shah had shown the state in a poor light in terms of its development on Sunday.

She said: "Music is the symbol of unity. It does not support any division as different music instruments play together when a song is composed. Similarly, any division cannot be created among people as only our surnames are different based on our religion, but we all belong to the same family of human beings. "Do not allow any division in this family. Give the necessary fight against any such attempts," she said.

"I have no objection if anyone shouts "inquilab". But I would also like to say that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Jai Hind had shown the way to the country and brought fame from across the globe. "Vande Mataram" of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay is our national song and "Jana Gana Mana" is our national anthem. All these were given by the sons of Bengal. So we must pay respect to the soil everyday and we all must pledge to protect this land. So that no one (from outside) can take control over it," Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister, who danced with Sangeet Samman award winner santhali dancer Basanti Hembram on the dais of the inaugural ceremony of Bangla Sangeet Mela, honoured singer Asima Mukherjee with Sangeet Maha Samman. As many as 21 artistes including those left a mark in art forms like Khon, Natua, Pato Chitra, Adibasi Song, Baul Song, Pirer Gaan and Nachni Jhumur were honoured with Sangeet Samman.

Artists including Sibaji Chattopadhyay, Arundhuti Hom Chowdhury, Lopamudra, Rupankar sang the famous "O Akash Sona Sona" as a mark of respect to Soumitra Chatterjee in whose film "Ajana Shapath" the song was featured.

The Chief Minister also stated about the great loss that Bengal has witnessed with the demise of Chatterjee.

On the occasion of Bangla Sangeet Mela, an exhibition entitled "Amar Ganer Swaralipi Lekha Robe" has been organised at Gaganendra Pradarshashala from Thursday to January 1 in 2021 to pay homage to Hemanta Mukherjee on his birth centenary.