New Delhi: While on her visit to Mumbai, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee did not miss a chance to take a jibe at Congress and urged the opposition parties to unite in the fight against their 'common enemy' Bhartiya Janata Party, now, a police complaint has been filed against her by BJP leader for "showing utter disrespect to the national anthem" by allegedly singing it while in sitting position & then "abruptly stopping after 4 or 5 verses", during her visit to the city on Wednesday.
Mamata Banerjee, who was on a visit to the financial capital, met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday, after Shiv Sena leaders the day before.
The complainant alleged that Banerjee “showed utter disrespect to the national anthem". “It’s an offence under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and @HMOIndia order of 2015," he tweeted.
Other BJP leaders also criticised the West Bengal Chief Minister. Maharashtra BJP leader Pratik Karpe called the incident “demeaning", Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said that it was a “deplorable behaviour from a Constitutional Authority".
West Bengal BJP unit tweeted Mamata Banerjee's 16-second video where she can be seen singing the national anthem while sitting in a chair, “Today, as a Chief Minister, she has insulted the culture of Bengal, the national anthem and the country, and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore!"
BJP leader Amit Malviya said, “Our national anthem is one of the most powerful manifestations of our national identity. The least people holding public office can do is not demean it. Here is a mutilated version of our national anthem sung by Bengal CM. Is India’s opposition so bereft of pride and patriotism?"
Mamata Banerjee meets Sharad Pawar
The TMC supremo, in a meeting with the NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday, took a jibe at Congress and said that there is "no UPA now."
"A firm alternative course should be made as nobody's fighting against ongoing fascism. Sharad Ji is the seniormost leader and I came to discuss our political parties. I agree with whatever Sharad Ji said. There is no UPA," Mamata Banerjee said after her meeting with NCP Chief Sharad Pawar.
The statement comes at a time when Mamata Banerjee is trying to gather momentum and prepare a template ahead of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections to stand against the ruling BJP.