New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s video objecting to chants of “Jai Shri Ram” along a highway before a rally in West Midnapore on Monday has led to a virtual slugfest. Media reports are full of barbs by BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Didi.
Two Bharatiya Janata Party supporters, Sitaram Midya and Sayan Midya, were detained by police after the incident. Alok Rajoria, district superintendent of police, said they were charged with insulting the chief minister, reported Hindustan Times.
The video led to immediate reactions. Speaking at an election rally in Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah said, “Hindu deity Ram is the idol of every Indian and asked why West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was having a problem with the chanting of “Jai Shri Ram”.
“For the past three days, Mamata Banerjee has expressed her displeasure with the chanting of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” Shah said. “I want to ask Mamata Banerjee that if we do not chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in India, will we chant it in Pakistan?”
The BJP president asked the chief minister to clarify her stance on the matter. “Shri Ram is the deity of every Indian, he exists in the culture and ethos of India,” Shah said. “No one can stop us from worshiping him.”
Shah went on to urge those present at the rally to chant along with him. “Mamata didi, now do what you want. But no one can stop us from taking Ram’s name,” he said.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dared Banerjee to arrest him for chanting “Jai Shri Ram”. “Didi has thrown people in jail for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” Modi had said at a rally in Tamluk in West Bengal. “I thought of saying Jai Shri Ram here today so that she can throw me inside jail too. That way, the people of Bengal might be protected from the wrath of TMC regime,” said a report in Scroll.in.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also criticised Banerjee in Kolkata for her stance on the religious slogan. “I asked Mamata Banerjee if she remembers his (BJP ideologue SP Mookerjee’s) sacrifice,” Sitharaman tweeted. “Why did she recite “Sarva mangala Mangalye…” on Tushtikaran Mafia Congress’ dais but threatens those in the street who say Jai Shri Ram.”
