New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the grand Ayodhya Ram temple ceremony a “political event” in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections and labelled the saffron party as being “anti-women” for “omitting” Goddess Sita from their discourse on Lord Ram.
Addressing the TMC's 'Sanhati Rally’ in Kolkata on Monday, Mamata said, “I don't believe in politicising religion ahead of elections. I am against such practices. I have no objection to those worshipping Lord Ram, but I object to interference with the food habits of people.”
The TMC supremo asserted that she wasn’t against Lord Ram but questioned the absence of Goddess Sita in BJP’s discourse.
“I am not against Lord Ram. What about Goddess Sita? She was with Lord Ram during his exile. They (BJP) don't speak about her; they are anti-women. We worship Goddess Durga; they should not lecture us about religion,” PTI quoted CM Banerjee as saying.
Further taking potshots at the saffron party, CM Banerjee said the BJP was trying to divide the people on religious lines ahead of the general elections.
“Some agents have been created under the garb of Muslim leadership to engage in polarisation of votes. They do this to divide Muslim votes in exchange for money,” she said.
Banerjee, who had opposed the Railways' proposal to clear the Dakshineswar Kali temple's skywalk for the expansion of a proposed Metro railway project, slammed the BJP saying, “They talk about religion and used to claim that I don’t allow Durga Puja in the state. They now want to demolish the Dakshineswar skywalk. This is their true nature. But I want to say clearly that I will never allow the removal of that structure till the last drop of my blood. I will not allow anyone to touch it.”