West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the annual Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at Kolkata's Red Road. During her address on Monday, Banerjee accused the Opposition parties in the state, particularly the BJP and Left (referred to as "Ram and Baam"), of trying to incite riots and stir communal tensions.
Banerjee stated, "Ram Bam came together. They purchased tickets to go to London during my visit to Oxford. I told them that I am Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian. They try to divide us. They try to create a riot. Don’t react. Don’t fall in their trap." She urged people to stay calm and not succumb to the provocations of these parties.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo emphasised that despite attempts to provoke riots, the West Bengal government stands with the minorities. "Provocations are being made to fuel riots, but please don't fall into these traps. The state government is committed to maintaining peace and ensuring no one can disturb the harmony in Bengal," she said.
Also read: 'We must move forward together,' Mamata tells Oxford
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee also spoke at the event, highlighting the party’s unity in resisting the BJP during the last Lok Sabha elections. "In the last Lok Sabha polls, we together resisted the march of the BJP," he said. He also criticised the BJP for its divisive politics, stating, "The BJP says 'Hindus are in danger,' and their friends say 'Muslims are in danger.' I would ask them to remove their lens of communal politics. The truth is that the entire country is in danger because of their politics. If they try to create divisions in West Bengal, we will resist it."
Both Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee stressed that the TMC would continue to oppose any attempts to sow division and promote communal politics in the state.
Mamata's remarks, however, sparked sharp criticism from the BJP, with its IT cell chief Amit Malviya leading the charge. Malviya accused Mamata of disrespecting Hinduism and questioned whether she was mocking Sanatan Dharma. He also accused her of enabling anti-Hindu violence under her leadership. The exchange has reignited political and religious debates, with the BJP accusing Mamata of appeasement politics and the TMC defending her position as a stance against divisive rhetoric.
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