West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee has announced a ‘Sarba Dharm’ (All-Religion) rally in Kolkata on January 22, coinciding with the day of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony). The decision has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with concerns raised about potential communal tensions.
Mamata Banerjee plans to begin with Kali Pujo at Kalighat Mandir, followed by the ‘Sarba Dharm’ rally from Hazira to Park Circus Maidan in Kolkata. The rally aims to bring together people from diverse communities and religious places to convey a message of communal harmony. Block-wise rallies are expected to be held across Bengal with the overarching theme that all religions are equal.
In response to Banerjee’s announcement, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya expressed concern on social media platform X, accusing the West Bengal Chief Minister of disregarding Hindu sentiments and deliberately scheduling a political event on a day significant for the Hindu community. Malviya pointed to potential communal confrontations and urged Banerjee to reconsider her decision.
Banerjee, in turn, dismissed the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha as a political gimmick. She highlighted an ongoing disagreement with the Metro rail project, claiming that the WB government was asked to relocate the skywalk for Metro expansion. The skywalk, a bridge facilitating direct access to Dakhineswar for pilgrims, has become a point of contention.
The Chief Minister asserted her stance against relocating the skywalk, emphasizing that its construction aimed to benefit pilgrims, but the pran pratishtha (consecration ceremony) should be conducted by priests. Banerjee’s move to hold a rally on the same day is seen as a countermeasure to what she views as a political maneuver.
