I am Not Against Ram: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Leading a ‘Harmony Rally' in the city with the representatives of all communities during the Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya on Monday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that she has never been against Lord Ram. The Trinamul Congress supremo however wondered whether the BJP is “anti-women” for not taking the name of Sita alongwith Ram. 

Her MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who also marched in her rally and shared the dias with her in the end, made clear that he would not accept a certificate of religion from the BJP.

Addressing the rally after it ended in Park Circus in the evening, Ms Banerjee said, “I am not against Lord Ram. I respect Ram-Sita. But they never mention Sita. Are they anti-women? Without Sita, Ram can not be there. Also, Ram was not born if Kaushalya was not there as his mother. She added,



“We worship goddess Durga here because Ram had worshiped her.” The CM also took a swipe at the BJP over grand celebration of the Ram Mandir consecration, alleging that the event looked like the party's festivity of independence day at the cost of huge amount of money.

The TMC chief also trained guns on the Left, shifting her focus of attack on the BJP in her speech. Branding the Left as atheist, she accused them of “insulting” her at the I.N.D.I.A. partners' meetings and helping the BJP. She claimed, “It was me who suggested the name, I.N.D.I.A. But when I attended its meeting, I found the Left controlling it. I can not agree with a party I had fought against for 34 years. I felt insulted. Despite such insults, I adjust and attend I.N.D.I.A. meetings. If someone helps the BJP, I will look into it.”