October 31, 2019
We want everyone to live in peace, unity and harmony: Mamata Banerjee
Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee strongly condemned the cold-blooded murder of five labourers from Bengal in Kashmir. was speaking at the inauguration of Jagadhatri Pujo organised by The Posta Bazar Merchants’ Association, Kolkata.
“A BJP leader commented that they were labourers not Bengalis. When people from Gujarat are killed don’t we say Gujaratis died? Why then this shame in calling people from Bengal Bengalis?” Mamata Banerjee said.
She added, “Bengali labourers have been killed in Rajasthan, when their government was in power, and even Gujarat. Brothers and sisters from Bihar, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra, MP, and many South Indian States live here in Bengal. Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of movement. So, if someone goes to Kashmir for working, how are they outsiders?”
The CM maintained that every State has their individual identity and people of other States also live there, in harmony. “We can never say, you are from UP/Bihar so get out of here. We respect the Indian Constitution,” she said.
She also slammed the proposed move to implement NRC in Bangla. “Some people are saying they will bring NRC. They want A to stay, not B; C to remain not D. In Assam names of 13 lakh Hindus were not included. Names of Biharis, Gorkhas were removed too. Can you furnish 50 years old documents belonging to your parents to prove your citizenship? Now documents are digital. Earlier records were not even maintained properly.”
The CM also spoke in favour of individual freedom of choice. “Someone eats vegetarian food, some eat non-vegetarian. It is their personal choice. But nowadays they are interfering in individual matters. We want everyone to live in peace, unity and harmony.”
She also slammed the Union Environment Ministry for seeking to restrict Durga immersion and Chhath Puja in the Ganga. The CM said, “We clean the ghats and pull away the idols from the river after immersion. What have they done?”
She hoped that before passing any order, the authorities would keep the issue of public order in mind.
