Taking names of ‘saints’ while playing politics is not new in West Bengal. To celebrate the birth anniversary of youth icon Swami Vivekananda, both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP took out rallies across the state where both the parties claimed that they are as ‘pious’ as the saints.
Talking part in the rally at Ramakrishna Mission in South Kolkata, Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP and nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that the people of Bengal will never accept ‘hate politics’ of the BJP.
“The people of West Bengal, where Vivekananda was born, love peace. They will disown the hate politics of the BJP. The BJP is faking their love for Swami Vivekananda. They are not even followers of Ram, they are followers of Nathuram Godse,” claimed Abhishek.
Lashing out at the saffron camp, Abhishek alleged that the BJP, instead of taking out rallies to celebrate the birth anniversary of Swamiji should start following his ideology.
“BJP is insulting the icons of West Bengal. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar are being insulted every day, as on one side they (BJP) take their names and, on the other hand, spread a message of hatred and communalism,” claimed the TMC MP.
The battle of words got intensified after the West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said that people of Bengal refer to Nivedita as ‘sister’ but TMC leaders call BJP workers as ‘outsider’.
“Nivedita is of foreign origin but even then we call her sister. This is the true culture of West Bengal. But, distorting the rich culture of Bengal, the TMC terms us as outsiders, even if we are Indians. They (TMC) spread hatred politics,” mentioned Ghosh while walking at the rally from Shyambazar to Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral residence at Simla Street.
Holding posters of Swamiji, festoons, and balloons, the BJP carried the national flag instead of their party’s flag.
Talking to the Free Press Journal, BJP national vice president Mukul Roy said that everyone should abide by the ideals of the ‘greatest monk of India’ to have a better tomorrow.
Meanwhile, addressing a rally at Durgapur, newly-defected leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “Swamiji’s birthday is an important day for the BJP as just like Vivekananda glorified India in Chicago, the BJP is also adding glory to India.”
