Mamata: Does loving Hindus mean hating Muslims?
KOLKATA: Questioning those accusing her of indulging in minority appeasement, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the country belonged to everyone and that she respected and loved all communities and religion equally.
“Some accuse me of (doing) Muslim appeasement. My question to them is whether loving Hindus means you have to hate Muslims. I respect and love all communities and religion. This country belongs to everybody,” she said while addressing a special prayer gathering on the occasion of Eid at Red Fort.
The Trinamool Congress supremo added: “Those who say I appease Muslims are friends of neither the Hindus nor the Muslims.”
It may be mentioned that Banerjee’s reaction came in the wake of the BJP and some other organisations accusing her of indulging in appeasement of the Muslims for political reasons.
She asked people of the Muslim community not to listen to those who try to instigate them. “Just give me a hint about those people. Hint is enough for me. I’ll take all kinds of measures. There is nothing to fear,” she reiterated.
Speaking on the rescheduling of the NITI Aayog meeting to Sunday, she said: “My question to the Central government officials is are they not aware that Eid is scheduled to be celebrated on June 16. Why the NITI Aayog meeting was kept on that day? I had written to the Central government urging it to change the date so that it doesn’t clash with Eid.”
It may be mentioned that Banerjee and a few other Chief Ministers had expressed unwillingness to attend the meeting in view of Eid, following which it was postponed by a day to June 17.
The Chief Minister had confirmed her participation in the NITI Aayog meeting on Friday which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister maintained that terrorists do not belong to any religion. “We all have to fight together in 2019 to make this country free from the reign of communal hatred and lynching. Let’s work together to build a new India,” she added.
Soon after attending the prayers at Red Road, Banerjee wrote on her Facebook page “I was present in the Eid congregation at Red Road today and exchanged greetings with all”.
Eid was celebrated in Kolkata with special prayers at mosques and exchange of greetings among friends and family members.
The festival was observed in a big way at Nakhoda mosque and Tipu Sultan mosque in the city.