'We Don't Divide People In Bengal, Believe In Uniting Them': Mamata At Kolkata Christmas Event
CM Mamata considered the state's readiness for the yearly gathering, and said the administration was adopting necessary steps to ensure its success.
New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, said on Wednesday that the state is not divided along religious lines, urging members of all communities to participate in Christmas celebrations, reported news agency PTI. She also stated that Bengal ought to be a place where people of various religions can come together to celebrate various festivals when launching the Kolkata Christmas Festival at Park Street.
"In Bengal, we don't divide people, but unite them. Like every year, Christmas will be celebrated throughout the state; from Jhargram to Bandel...in each and every district,” Banerjee said.
"Let's make Bengal a place where people follow different religions, but celebrate their festivals together," she added.
Mamata Reviews Gangasagar Mela Preparations
Expecting an immense footfall at Gangasagar Mela this year, Mamata considered the state's readiness for the yearly gathering, and said the administration was adopting necessary steps to ensure its success.
She urged central government offices, the railways, the Army, the Navy, and the NDRF to provide the state with the necessary assistance for the event, which is scheduled to take place from January 8-17, asserting that the "Gangasagar Mela is organised on the same scale as the Kumbh Mela."
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Additionally, the CM advised against people who might attempt to disrupt the mela or sabotage it.
"This year, the number of pilgrims at Ganga Sagar Mela is expected to be more (than what it was in the past few years). We are well prepared for it. We also urge the central government offices, the Army, Navy, the Coast guard and disaster management departments to help us in ensuring that the sagar mela gets smoothly conducted," Mamata said at a meeting held at the state secretariat.
The state is taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all pilgrims, according to the CM.
During the nine-day fair, she requested that a number of senior ministers and top police officers visit the island to periodically review the arrangements.
“There’ll be people who might try to play spoilsport... See to it that nobody enters the mela with arms… people may have plans to sabotage the event, spark riots. We must spoil their plans.
"A mega control room will be set up for monitoring all movements during the Ganga Sagar mela. As many as 1,150 CCTVs will be used for surveillance, besides drones," Banerjee added.
On Makar Sankranti, the annual mela that takes place on Sagar island is one of the most important religious events in the country. Thousands of people come to pray at the Kapil Muni temple and take a dip at the point where the Ganges and Bay of Bengal meet.
(With PTI Inputs)
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