West Bengal CM says she criticised monks who indulged in politics
Onda/ Panskura, May 20: Praising the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha for their philanthropic work, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she was not against any institution but criticised one or two persons for indulging in political activities despite being monks.
Banerjee had on Saturday alleged that some monks of the two monastic orders were working “under instructions of the BJP”. The statement drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who alleged that she was “under pressure from Muslim extremists” and was threatening these socio-religious organisations to “appease” the TMC’s vote bank.
Addressing an election rally in Bankura’s Onda, Banerjee said, “I am not against Ramakrishna Mission, why should I be against an institution or insult it?” “I have spoken about one or two persons,” she added.
The chief minister also praised Bharat Sevashram Sangha, saying that it works for the people and that they also love her.
“I had spoken about Kartik Maharaj, he did not allow Trinamool Congress agent to sit (at a polling booth) in Rejinagar,” Banerjee said.
Claiming that the Bharat Sevashram Sangha monk from Murshidabad district was working for the BJP, she accused him of instigating people when clashes between two groups happened at Rejinagar a few weeks ago.
“If he wants to do BJP, he can, but should do it wearing its badge,” she said, alleging that he was earlier aligned with Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Recounting her gestures for the Ramakrishna Mission in the past, Banerjee said that she saved Swami Vivekananda’s house in Kolkata from getting sold off by getting the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to acquire it.
Banerjee said that the house where Sister Nivedita stayed in Darjeeling was also saved by her, apart from constructing a skywalk to Dakshineswar temple from the metro railway station there. She claimed that West Bengal would “give the lead” to the INDIA alliance and would “throw out” the BJP from Delhi.
Banerjee was campaigning for TMC’s Bishnupur candidate Sujata Mandal and Bankura nominee Arup Chakraborty. Addressing another rally in Panskura for the party’s Ghatal candidate Dev, she said that the maximum number of seats to the Trinamool Congress would ensure that it can “totally help” the opposition INDIA alliance when it forms government at the Centre. “This is Delhi’s vote, if we can win every seat with your votes, we can totally help the government which will be formed by the INDIA alliance,” Banerjee said. (PTI)
Name not on list, Mamata’s brother fails to cast vote
Kolkata, May 20: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee’s youngest brother Swapan Banerjee, also known as ‘Babun’, on Monday could not cast his vote after his name was not found in the voters’ list, an election official said. Babun, who is a voter of Howrah town, went to cast his vote at a polling booth when it was discovered that his name was not on the list. “The Election Commission of India is looking into the whole matter. Only it can explain why this happened,” Trinamool Congress spokesperson Shantanu Sen said. When contacted by PTI, Babun said he was disappointed. “I went to cast my vote today and found that my name was deleted. I have been voting for so many years. I am disappointed that I could not vote this year. As a citizen of a democratic country, I have the right to vote,” he said. Babun had expressed his displeasure after TMC renominated sitting MP Prasun Banerjee for the Howrah Lok Sabha seat in March. (PTI)