Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday held a historic all-faith unity rally, a symbolic journey of religious harmony that included her visits to diverse places of worship — a temple, mosque, church, and gurdwara. This happened in Kolkata on the same day as the consecration of Rama Temple took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.
Addressing the gathering, Banerjee flayed the BJP for attempting to politicise religion ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, labelling the saffron camp as “anti-women” for “omitting” Goddess Sita from their discourse about Lord Ram.
“I have no complaint if somebody worships Ram but object to using it as a political tool. Don’t do politics ahead of Lok Sabha elections. Don’t try to create discord among the poor people. There is no point in causing any harm to the poor. Our fight for the poor and unity of India has begun and it will continue,” said Banerjee.
“Questions must be raised when we see there are crores of unemployed youths in the country. We don’t know where a huge amount of money from our country has been sent. I believe when the BJP will not be in power, it will come to light that BJP men who have taken away the money will also come to light. India’s mortality rate is one of the highest in the world,” Banerjee said.
The TMC supremo commenced the day by offering prayers at the iconic Kalighat Temple seeking blessings from Goddess Kali. A little before 3 pm, Banerjee went to the temple and offered the customary garland, flowers and sweets. She also performed Aarti there.
Around 3.10 pm, Banerjee reached Hazra crossing where her party colleagues were waiting for her, including the all-India general secretary of her party Abhishek Banerjee. Accompanied by religious leaders from various faiths and key party members, Banerjee initiated the ‘Sanghati (harmony) rally’ from Hazra More to send a message of unity in diversity to the state and beyond its geographical boundaries. Near the Hazra Law College, the rally had a brief stopover, while Banerjee hopped onto a scooty to visit a gurdwara at Garcha. She entered the Gurudwara premises with her head covered in obeisance to Sikh traditions. Six minutes later she stepped out of the gurdwara. Her next two halts were at a church and a mosque at Park Circus, where she held a public meeting.
She further said: “They (BJP) are saying that eggs will not be served to pregnant women. Will the BJP now decide what people will eat? Will they now dictate what all of us have to do? The Country cannot be ruled by dividing people. As we raise voices against them they call us thieves.”
Taking a dig at the saffron camp leaders in Bengal, Banerjee said: “BJP calls me Mamata Begum. Where were these people when the Babri mosque was destroyed? Thousands of people were killed in various states. I was on the streets of Kolkata when several pockets were burning. The Left Front was in power in Bengal at that time. We cannot celebrate religion over dead bodies. Celebration is for all while religion is different from one person to another.”
Speaking about the INDIA bloc, Mamata Banerjee asserted that the Left is striving to control the Opposition bloc’s agenda. She further added that regional parties, whoever are strong in the states, should fight the BJP from their respective states.
“CPI(M) tries to control the INDIA bloc meeting. I will not take instruction from a party whom we fought for 34 years in the state. People will not forgive those who will help the BJP. We will not let BJP win a single seat in Bengal.
Echoing Banerjee’s sentiments, the Trinamool Congress wrote on X: “Smt. @MamataOfficial kickstarted the Sanhati Rally from Hazra Park. As thousands of people join this rally uniting all communities, the message ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’ resonates across the city! The secular thread of our nation that binds us all remains stronger than ever!...”