Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday – without naming the BJP – dared the saffron party to divide Bengal in the name of religion.
Mamata’s statement came after BJP’s youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney announced Rs 11 lakh reward on her head. Varshney threatened Bengal CM after Hanuman devotees were not allowed to carry out procession in Birbhum on Tuesday.
Addressing a public meeting in Domkal in Murshidabad district, she said , “Aamake Chomkaley…Aami Gorjai (I roar…If someone threatens me).”
“It is unfortunate that people were seen carrying arms during Ram Navami. In Bengal, such act will not be tolerated and we will take action against such people,” she said.
On beef controversy, she said, “Food and religion are individual’s choice and no one can dictate what one should eat. It is our duty to protect the religious freedom in Bengal. Why there is hue and cry over meat. Vegetables like potol (parval), lau (bottle gaurd) etc are also living things…why there is no controversy when we eat them. There are many Hindus who eat meat. It is up to the individual to decide what he or she will eat. There should not be any restriction.”
“There are minorities, Christians and tribal communities who consume beef. It is their choice. The Constitution has given them some basic rights. We live in a secular country. Why will someone threaten them. We will not tolerate this in Bengal,” she said.
Mamata went to Murshidabad to inaugurate the fourth unit of the Sagardighi Thermal Power project. After her public meeting, she inaugurated other developmental projects, including a Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), primary health care units, an ITI, road projects, girls’ hostels, drinking water projects.
She also distributed cycles under ‘Sabuj Sathi scheme’ and offered other benefits like Kanyashree, Sikshashree, Yubashree, Sabushree, Sasthya Sathi, agricultural machinery and Gatidhara.