BJP spending money to spread hatred, says Mamata Banerjee as she increases allowances of Muslim clerics, Hindu priests

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP is spreading hatred among communities and said that the saffron party is in power only for six more months. She accused the CPI-M backed students union of being instrumental in the recent death of Jadavpur University fresher.

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BJP of spending money to spread hatred among communities while announcing a hike of Rs 500 in the monthly allowance of Muslim clerics and Hindu priests.

Currently, imams get a monthly salary of Rs 2,500 and muezzins receive Rs 1,000 a month. "Money is being spent to spread hatred among communities in the country. The BJP is funding some minority leaders to instigate communal tension ahead of the Lok Sabha polls," Banerjee said at a conference of imams (Muslim clerics) and muezzins (those who call others for namaz) at the Netaji Indoor stadium here.

Banerjee even hit out at the Left Front over the Jadavpur University student death incident. She claimed that a CPI(M)-backed students' union was instrumental in the recent death of the first-year student. She said that she doesn't favour any form of animosity based on religion. "The saffron party is trying to use the Congress and CPI(M) against the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal," the chief minister added.

Regarding the death of the JU fresher allegedly due to ragging, Banerjee said, "We are proud of Jadavpur University, but a CPI(M)-backed union is involved in the fresher's death." She also said that the BJP-led central government will last for just six more months.

“Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) will remain in office for only six months. We will do whatever is needed to remove him. I am with INDIA Bloc (an alliance of several opposition parties)," she said.