February 16, 2019
Terrorism should be condemned in the strongest of terms: Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today led a candlelight march in Kolkata in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. About 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in the attack on February 14.
People from all walks of life joined the march, numbering in thousands. The Chief Minister had already given instructions that no party flags were to be carried during the march.
It started from Hazra crossing and concluded at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Mayo Road-Red Road crossing.
At the end of the march, Mamata Banerjee spoke to the media for a short while.
Salient portions of her address to the media
Jai Hind. Vande Mataram.
We respect our jawans, the citizens of our country, our martyrs, our motherland.
We pay our deepest condolences to the jawans who gave their lives for their country.
We are also with the families of the dead jawans in this time of their immense grief.
All the citizens of the country are together in this hour of greatest grief.
We strongly condemn all terrorist activities conducted on our soil.
Let me congratulate all of you who took part in this march at such a short notice of two hours.
We are all for a united India. Unity is our greatest strength. Whenever it is required for the good of the country, we will forget all differences of caste, creed, and religion and come together.
Terrorists have only one religion, and that is terrorism. They should be condemned in the strongest of terms.
