Mamata Banerjee: BJP's attempt to create tension in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday cautioned the people against BJP's attempts to "foment tension" in the state.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at Red Road in central Kolkata on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr.

"Please maintain peace. Do not be instigated by any kind of provocation from anyone. BJP is trying to create an air of tension in the state. I will not tolerate any such thing," the chief minister said.

She also alleged that the Union government was making an attempt to change the Constitution of India. "You lose everything if you are deprived of your democratic rights. There are deliberate attempts to change the history and the constitution of the nation. They have again started speaking about NRC. But I will not allow such things in my state. Have faith in me. I will fight instead of bowing down," the chief minister said.

Delivering a subtle message of the unity of opposition, the CM said, "If everyone gets united, then in 2024 the regime at the Union government will surely change. We have to fight against the central agencies as well. They are trying to disturb and destabilise us. This will increase in the coming days. But we are ready for the struggle in future."

Trinamool Congress's national general secretary and the party Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee was also present on the occasion.

Those who are trying to divide the nation on the basis of religion will get a fitting reply from the people of the nation in the coming days. "The people of West Bengal do not believe in religion-based division. That is why this state is different from the others," he said.

Slamming the CM for the comments, BJP state spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said that Mamata Banerjee should be ashamed of using a religious occasion for delivering such a political lecture. "It is she who's actually playing the cards of divisive politics," he said. [IANS/NS]