'Mamata reacting to Jai Shree Ram for minority appeasement'

With Mamata Banerjee reacting to Jai Shree Ram slogans raised at an event organised by the central government, the ugly war between TMC and BJP has come out in the open. Political expert Rahul Sharma said that Banerjee is playing emotional card and saving her minority votes by showing such frustration.

Kolkata:Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC )were engaged in a bitter war of words on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary. The bitter turf war between TMC and BJP has come out in the open over Netaji's legacy just head of the Bengal Assembly elections.

Political analyst Rahul Sharma said, "This is not the first time that Jai Shree Ram slogans are raised in the state. During 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when Jai Shree Ram slogans were raised, Banerjee lost her cool, stopped her convoy and had warned people."

He added, "Mamata Banerjee understood in 2019 that she is losing her vote bank. BJP's performance in 2019 LS elections dented her vote bank and she is doing all this to appease minority section. Banerjee's frustration was clearly visible today when she refused to deliver her address. She has tried to play an emotional card."

The expert also pointed out that TMC heavyweights have jumped ship and joined BJP, adding to Banerjee's double whammy. He stated that Banerjee is doing minority appeasement to consolidate Muslim votes and she did not allow immersion of Maa Durga on the day of Muharram.

BJP national spokesperson Sudesh Verma said, "Mamata Banerjee should tell people why she gets miffed over Jai Shree Ram slogans. What is the problem if people chant Jai Shree Ram slogans? Is she doing so to save her Muslim votes?"

Verma said, "Banerjee is worried that she will lose her minority votes, hence fiercely reacting to Jai Shree Ram slogans. She should that Muslims, whom she is trying to appease, are ancestors of Lord Ram. She is insulting our ancestors."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday kicked off a grand procession to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.

But Banerjee lost her cool over sloganeering at a Netaji event and refused to deliver her speech in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When it was Mamata's turn to give her speech, a section of the crowd indulged in sloganeering and chanted 'Jai Shri Ram.' The West Bengal chief minister then went on to announce that she won't be giving her speech as a mark of protest against the slogans.

However, PM Modi recalled Netaji's selfless service to the nation and delivered his address by observing 'Parakram Diwas'. BJP banked on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who flew into Kolkata to attend the Centre’s programmes on the day.

After Lal Bahadur Shastri, PM Modi is the first Prime Minister to visit Kolkata on Netaji's birthday.