Suvendu Adhikari slams CM Mamata, says Hindus never riot, questions Ramnavami rally restrictions | Watch

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a political face-off over Ramnavami celebrations in Bengal. While Adhikari led a rally from Muralidhar Sen Lane to Esplanade Y-Channel, Banerjee urged residents to maintain peace and accused the BJP of attempting to divide communities. She claimed the central government had halted welfare funds and was promoting a religious ideology that did not align with Bengal’s spiritual figures like Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda.

Addressing a gathering, Banerjee criticized the BJP over the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that the party aimed to create communal divisions. “The jumla party believes in only dividing people. Learn to obey the Constitution first,” she said. She also questioned why she was asked about her religion on foreign soil, asserting that she was not compelled to respond to the BJP. Banerjee warned the opposition against stirring unrest, saying, “The more you try to mix red with saffron, your vote share will shrink. Maintain peace, don’t disturb harmony.”

Adhikari countered Banerjee’s statements while leading the BJP rally, asserting that “Hindus never riot” and accusing the Trinamool Congress of attempting to remove Hindi-speaking Bengalis and refugee Bengalis from voter lists. “If the name of even one Bengali Hindu is deleted, the BJP will hit the streets,” he said. He also escalated the scale of Ramnavami participation, stating that 1.5 crore people would take part in celebrations across the state.

The political friction over religious events comes ahead of a crucial electoral phase, with the BJP intensifying its Hindu voter outreach and the TMC emphasizing communal harmony. Banerjee called for peaceful observance of both Ramnavami and Annapurna Puja, while Adhikari reinforced the BJP’s stance against alleged voter list manipulation.