Mamata breaks silence over absense from Gita Path; Calls it a BJP event

A massive Gita Path event, which saw the gathering of nearly five lakh people at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Sunday, has sparked a fresh political row in West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also reportedly invited to the event. Following her absence, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari publicly raised questions about why she chose not to attend the significant spiritual gathering, setting the stage for the Chief Minister's rebuttal.

Mamata Banerjee provided her reasoning before leaving for Cooch Behar on Monday. She categorically stated that she boycotted the event because of the direct involvement of the BJP. She clarified that if the event had been organized neutrally, without any political affiliation, she would have certainly attended.

The Chief Minister asserted her position based on political ideology: "How can I go to a BJP program? If it was a neutral program, I would definitely go. How can I go to a BJP program! I have an ideology." She launched a sharp attack on the BJP, branding the party as 'anti-Bengali'.

Furthermore, Mamata Banerjee strongly distanced herself from the party, stating: "Those who hate Netaji, those who don't respect Gandhiji. I am not with them. My parents did not teach me this. My Bengal did not teach me this." She concluded her statement by reaffirming her commitment to secularism, saying, "I respect all religions."