“Why Mamata Banerjee needs to hold a so-called all-faith rally on January 22, when it is a big day for the Hindus? It is nothing but appeasement politics,” said HJM office-bearer Sanjay Shastri.

“She is free to organise an all-faith rally, but why not on January 21 or January 23? She is just trying to divert the attention of people from the Ram Mandir event,” said another HJM leader Sanjay Mondal at a press conference here. “Mamata Banerjee should take accountability if anything goes wrong (during the rally). It is not an all-faith rally but an anti-Hindu rally,” said HJM’s Joydipto Mondal.

Kolkata Ram Mandir to hold live telecast

Trustees of the Ram Mandir in central Kolkata on Friday announced that the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Temple will be telecast live at the city’s temple premises. “This is Diwali for us. On January 22. We will organise a live telecast of the consecration ceremony between 11:30 am to 12:50 pm. We are expecting a huge crowd to gather at our Ram Mandir,” said BJP leader Shishir Bajoria.

Another trustee of Kolkata’s Ram Mandir Hemant Jalan said, “Our Ram Mandir will also be decorated in a special way and special bhajans will be organised on that day.”