February 21, 2019
My language has not taught me to hate anyone: Mamata Banerjee
On the occasion of International Mother Language Day today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute at the Bhasha Shahid Stambha at Desapriya Park. She said, “This day is very auspicious. This is a historic day. Today we pay homage to those who gave their lives for Bhasha Andolan in Dhaka in 1952.”
The CM said, “On this day, we pay our homage to everyone who sacrificed their lives for their mother language across the world. Their sacrifice has not gone in vain. United Nations declared this day as International Mother Language Day in 1999. Bengali language has played a big part in this. Bengali is the fifth most spoken language in the world and the second most spoken language in Asia.”
Mamata Banerjee also spoke strongly against hate in her speech. She said, “We have been taught in our childhood not to hate anyone. We have been taught not to spread rumours. We must not indulge in spreading canards. We must love everyone equally.”
She added, “We want India to be united. We want India to prosper. We cannot let fundamentalism take over India. India cannot become a nation of closed minds. India cannot become a nation of half-baked education. India has always been known as the land of wisdom and knowledge.”
“We will love all religions, languages, people of all faiths and beliefs equally. We do not support the politics of discrimination and division. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Tripura to Dwarka – we want everybody to be happy,” she said.
Regarding the recent incidents of violence the CM commented, “We cannot turn away a Kashmiri shawl seller just because an incident happened. No one can take law into their hands. If someone thinks only they have the right to live here, and not other, sorry, we do not support such a theory.”
She added, “How can someone dare to threaten a Kashmiri doctor who is living in Bengal for 20 years? Such arrogance. Leaders of a political party, with their agenda of hate, are trying to sow the seeds of division. My language has not taught me to hate anyone.”
She also came down heavily against political groups spreading hate. She said, “If you raise your voice, you are branded pro-Pakistan. They think they are the only nationalists, and rest of us are anti-nationals. Who are they to lecture us? People of Bangla must unitedly fight against fundamentalism with conviction and strength.”
“They are distorting history. The ideology they espouse is not part of our culture. Their brand of religion is inhumane. Who are they to decide what a person can wear, what a person can eat, what language they will speak or which State they will live in?” she added.
She also said: “We were born in this land we will die here too. We will never betray this nation, this country, our language or unity of the country. We want united India. Let us think with unity. Let us work for unity. Let us speak for unity. We must defeat the politics of divide-and-rule”.
