Mamata threatens action against forcible conversion
31 Jan 2015 12:30 AM GMT
Without naming any group or person, she said, “Forcible conversion by doling out money is highly objectionable, unconstitutional and against law in our country. We shall take strong action. Law will take its own course.”
“We are in a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. This is written in our Constitution. Nobody is allowed to forcibly convert people here,” she said.
Banerjee was speaking at the inauguration of a six-day festival ‘Milan Mela’ of the minorities, organised jointly by the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department and West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation.
Apparently referring to the ruling BJP at the Centre, she said, “You are an elected government and we are also an elected government. We have not come to power on anybody’s mercy. It’s entirely a matter of federal structure. No use in threatening us... Don’t disturb Bengal.”
“If you continue to dishonour Bengal purposefully for political reason, people will give a fitting reply. People will react against each and every attempt you make,” she cautioned.
“If you have enough courage, amend the Constitution first before taking any such move like forcible conversion. Suddenly a stranger appeared from nowhere trying to sow the seeds of communal discord,” Mamata said.
“Nobody is empowered by any authority to kill others in the interest of his/her own comfort. I am observing that recently attempts are being made to pit one religion against other to create confrontation,” she alleged. On January 28, at least 150 tribal Christians “pledged to follow Hinduism” at a VHP programme in Rampurhat area in Birbhum district.
According to police, there has been no complaint of forced conversion. State VHP leader Sachindranath Singha said about 1,000 people including Christians, Hindus and Muslims attended the programme and no one was forced to change their religion. Banerjee said the budgetary allocation by her government for the minority affairs and madrasa education department has increased to Rs 1,737 crore from only Rs 472 crore during the erstwhile Left Front government.
Saradha scam: Mukul questioned by CBI, wants truth to come out
TMC general secretary Mukul Roy was on Friday questioned by the CBI for close to five hours in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund, after which he said truth must come out and that justice should not be denied to the poor who parked their money in the company. Reiterating that he would cooperate with the probe agency, the TMC leader said, “I want the actual truth to come out. I told them (CBI) if they think it necessary, they can call me anytime, I can talk. “Let the investigation proceed properly,” he told reporters after nearly five hours of questioning at the CBI office at Salt lake here. The former Railway Minister, who faced three rounds of questioning, said, “From day one, I had stated that if the investigating agency calls me for the sake of investigation, I will join and cooperate. I came here at 10.30 in the morning as scheduled.”
“We are in a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. This is written in our Constitution. Nobody is allowed to forcibly convert people here,” she said.
Banerjee was speaking at the inauguration of a six-day festival ‘Milan Mela’ of the minorities, organised jointly by the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department and West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation.
Apparently referring to the ruling BJP at the Centre, she said, “You are an elected government and we are also an elected government. We have not come to power on anybody’s mercy. It’s entirely a matter of federal structure. No use in threatening us... Don’t disturb Bengal.”
“If you continue to dishonour Bengal purposefully for political reason, people will give a fitting reply. People will react against each and every attempt you make,” she cautioned.
“If you have enough courage, amend the Constitution first before taking any such move like forcible conversion. Suddenly a stranger appeared from nowhere trying to sow the seeds of communal discord,” Mamata said.
“Nobody is empowered by any authority to kill others in the interest of his/her own comfort. I am observing that recently attempts are being made to pit one religion against other to create confrontation,” she alleged. On January 28, at least 150 tribal Christians “pledged to follow Hinduism” at a VHP programme in Rampurhat area in Birbhum district.
According to police, there has been no complaint of forced conversion. State VHP leader Sachindranath Singha said about 1,000 people including Christians, Hindus and Muslims attended the programme and no one was forced to change their religion. Banerjee said the budgetary allocation by her government for the minority affairs and madrasa education department has increased to Rs 1,737 crore from only Rs 472 crore during the erstwhile Left Front government.
Saradha scam: Mukul questioned by CBI, wants truth to come out
TMC general secretary Mukul Roy was on Friday questioned by the CBI for close to five hours in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund, after which he said truth must come out and that justice should not be denied to the poor who parked their money in the company. Reiterating that he would cooperate with the probe agency, the TMC leader said, “I want the actual truth to come out. I told them (CBI) if they think it necessary, they can call me anytime, I can talk. “Let the investigation proceed properly,” he told reporters after nearly five hours of questioning at the CBI office at Salt lake here. The former Railway Minister, who faced three rounds of questioning, said, “From day one, I had stated that if the investigating agency calls me for the sake of investigation, I will join and cooperate. I came here at 10.30 in the morning as scheduled.”
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