Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed ‘bhoomi pujan’ Wednesday for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. As Narendra Modi did not so, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had something to say. Mamata Banerjee called for preserving brotherhood between communities and the age-old legacy of unity in diversity.
Mamata’s plea
“Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai; Aapas mein hain Bhai Bhai!; Mera Bharat Mahaan; Mahaan Hamara Hindustan. “Our country has always upheld the age-old legacy of unity in diversity. We must preserve this to our last breath!” Banerjee tweeted.
BJP hits back
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, meanwhile, accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government ‘disregarding Hindu sentiments’. He said clamping lockdown on a day when ‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony was being organised in Ayodhya is not correct.
“We requested for altering the date of the lockdown. But it was not done. When devotees of Lord Ram wanted to celebrate the day in a small way in Bengal, they were stopped. The TMC government has disregarded the sentiments of the Hindus in West Bengal. The TMC will pay dearly for this in days to come,” Ghosh said.
Coming clean on construction of Ram temple
The BJP leader also asked Banerjee to come clean on whether she supports the construction of the Ram temple or not.
Also read: BJP-TMC spar over August 5 lockdown in West Bengal
“After Ram temple verdict last year, she had remained silent. This time too, she is not clearly saying whether she supports the construction of the Ram temple,” stated Ghosh.
Opinion of Congress leaders
Ghosh received support from the West Bengal Congress leadership; They opined that the government should have withdrawn the lockdown. Now by implementing it the government has ‘played into the hands’ of the BJP.
The West Bengal government could have easily altered the date of lockdown. However, it chose to play into the hands of the BJP, senior Congress leader Prdeep Bhattacharya said.
The CPI (M) leadership declined to comment on the matter.