Bengal
Mamata Banerjee to visit Kali Temple, hold all-faith rally on Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration day
Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced she will offer her prayers to Maa Kali at Kalighat Temple and then hold an all-faith rally in Kolkata on January 22 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the consecration of Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.
Speaking at a press conference at her office Nabanna on Tuesday, Mamata announced she will offer prayers at Kalighat Temple, which is close to her residence.
She will then hold an all-faith rally from Hazra More to Park Circus in south Kolkata but refused to acknowledge it as a counter to Ram Temple inauguration.
"We will cover mosques, temples, churches, gurdwaras on the way," mentioned the Chief Minister, who days ago said she won't allow people to be divided on the basis of religion in the state.
In reference to the Ram Temple event, Mamata, who heads the ruling Trinamool Congress and a staunch opponent of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said, "Pran Pratistha is not our job. It is the job of seers and sadhus. Our job is to build the infrastructure. I will do that."
Slamming Mamata, Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said, "She will lead the rally to Park Circus where a Shaheen Bagh-type protest against CAA was organised. It is very alarming. She is trying to disrupt the communal harmony upon losing the confidence of the Muslim community."
CPI-M state secretary Md. Salim remarked, "Mamata Banerjee has no right to hold an all-faith rally because she was the one who brought BJP to the state. She has always been in favour of RSS and BJP. Her previous interviews are there to prove it."
Mamata, who is among the politicians skipping the mega event in Ayodhya, had earlier said, "I have no objection to Ram Temple inauguration. They are doing it under court order just before the elections to create a gimmick. I have no objection. But I don't support any festivity that excludes any community."
More than 11,000 guests have been invited from across the country to attend the Ram Temple inauguration, which has remained the BJP's poll promise for decades.
On January 22, the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed in the temple.
The seven-day ceremony already kickstarted from January 16.
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