KOLKATA: While inaugurating the light and sound show at Dakshineswar temple on Thursday afternoon, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said riots were engineered not by the people belonging to different religious communities, but by greedy political leaders with vested interests, who mix up politics with religion as their "brains had been converted into dustbins."
"Riots are engineered not by people belonging to different religions but by some greedy political leaders whose brains have been converted into dustbins," she maintained, adding "leaders, whose minds are filled with negative thoughts, conspire round the clock and divide society".
She released a book on the history of the temple besides announcing that the state government would give Rs 10 crore to complete the guest house work undertaken by the Dakshineswar Temple Trust. She also offered prayers at the temple.
Banerjee regretted that there were some people who have distorted Hinduism according to their convenience. "Hinduism does not believe in hatred. It welcomes all and it is an all-inclusive religion," she said.
She said Dakshineswar is an International tourist spot and lakhs of people from different parts of the country and abroad visit the place every year. "It is well-connected now. As the Railway minister, I had taken up the project to extend the Metro rail up to Noapara so that people could visit the temple easily. It is now connected by vessels and roads have improved. The ghats have been renovated thoroughly," she said.
Recalling her childhood, Banerjee said: "My parents used to read about the lives of great people like Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada, Swamiji, Rammohan Roy, Rabindranath and Nazrul and this had helped us to expand our hearts." She urged the younger generation to read about the lives of such great legends.
Paying homage to Rani Rashmoni, she said: "She was not only a devotee but an iron lady and had fought against the British to establish her right." Banerjee said: "All land on Harish Chatterjee Street, where I stay, had belonged to Rani Rashmoni and she had a house there. She used to take a holy dip in Adi Ganga."
The Dakshineswar Temple Trust had prepared the light and sound show, highlighting the history of the temple and the socio-religious movement and its impact on the freedom movement.
Ministers, including Firhad Hakim, Jyotipriya Mallik and Sujit Bose were present at the function along with Madan Mitra, Aditi Munshi and Pundarikakshya Saha among other dignitaries.