ABP News Shikhar Sammelan: Amid the ongoing surrounding the BJP’s ‘Jai Shri Ram’ pitch in the run up to the West Bengal Assembly polls, former TMC Minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla on Thursday said the people in this culturally rich state won’t vote in the name of religion. ALSO READ: ABP News Shikhar Sammelan: No Need To Create A Hue And Cry Over Few TMC Members Crossing Over To BJP, Says Sukhendu Sekhar Roy
The former cricketer said West Bengal celebrates every festival with enthusiasm. “The people will not vote here in the name of religion, every festival is celebrated with enthusiasm. The Bengali culture is strong. We are proud to be born in Bengal,” he said while speaking at the ABP Network's premier thought-leadership event 'Shikhar Sammelan' which is focused on the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Shukla, however, played safe when asked to comment on West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s outburst against the BJP’s ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants.
“Everyone has a perception,” he said.
Taking potshots at the TMC supremo for not allowing the chant of “Jai Shri Ram” as slogans, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had last week said “Mamata Didi” gets angry if someone chants “Jai Shri Ram” in West Bengal as a political slogan.
Continuing his diatribe, Shah alleged the TMC chief “wants to appease a particular community to maintain her vote bank politics”.
The war of words between the TMC and BJP has escalated in West Bengal as elections to the 294 member assembly are due in April-May.
This edition of #ABPShikharSammelan will feature top politicians from major political parties battling it out to make a mark in the elections that is also widely seen as a high-pitched battle between the TMC and BJP.