At Oxford, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee bats for inclusivity, offers 'love' to RG Kar hecklers
Times of India | 28 March 2025
LONDON/KOLKATA: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee delivered her maiden speech at an Oxford University institution on Thursday, emphasising she would not indulge in divisive politics while leading an administration and stressing the importance of inclusivity to deliver all-round growth.
Addressing a packed auditorium at Kellogg College, she said: "To maintain unity is a very difficult thing, but to divide people takes only a moment. Do you think the world can sustain such (divisive) ideology? When I am in the chair, I cannot divide society. I have to look after weaker sections and poor people. We have to work hard for them. At the same time, we have to work for all religions, castes and creeds together. We have to help them."
She was delivering a lecture on 'Empowerment of Women in Bengal and its Success', at the college's invitation. "Before I die, I want to see unity," the CM said. "Unity is our strength and division our fall."
Disrupted by hecklers who questioned her on the RG Kar rape-murder last Aug, she told a protester, "Love you, brother. If you want to do politics, go tell your party in my state. I will send chocolate to you and your ideology."
'Without humanity, this world can't run, continue or sustain'
CM Banerjee also showcased several Bengal govt schemes - such as Kanyashree and Lakshmir Bhandar, meant to empower women and the underprivileged - but, towards the end of her 40-minute speech, faced a barrage of questions on the Aug 2024 RG Kar rape-murder of a young doctor.
"Please speak clearly. You have the right to speak, this is a democracy," she responded to the first question on the crime that rocked Bengal. "Don't do politics," she added after a few more queries and then held up a black-and-white photograph from Aug 16, 1990, that showed her injured and heavily bandaged after a murderous assault by CPM workers at Kolkata's Hazra crossing.
On RG Kar, the CM made it clear that the case was "sub judice" and the Centre (CBI) was now tasked with the probe. "We have nothing to do here," she reminded the questioner.
For a short time, when Banerjee was talking on investments in Bengal, a few voices tried to disrupt her. They were seemingly trying to ask her about Tata (referring to Tata Motors abandoning Singur for their Nano project), and RG Kar. Addressing them as "brother", the CM was quick to point out Tata investments in Bengal.
The protesters were primarily a group of seven to 10 Bengali-speaking Indians among the audience of around 400. Later, Oxford pro vice-chancellor Jonathan Michie and Lord Karan Billimoria "apologised" for the "embarrassing incident", which the CM shrugged off.
The attempts to disrupt her were met with vociferous protests by others who wanted to hear her. "You have fulfilled your agenda," the CM told one protester, adding, "Now, I will come twice each year to Oxford. You gave me strength and inspiration." This was met with a resounding "Yes, yes, yes" from the crowd. Later, referring to this issue again, she said: "Jealousy has no medicine. The only medicine is love. Hence, I promised them chocolate."
"We have about 11 crore people in our state, almost like a big country," the CM said. "Our beauty is that more than 33% of the people belong to the minority section, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Nepalese, Gorkhas and others. Around 6% are tribals or Adivasis, and 23% are Scheduled Castes. [People from] every caste, creed, community and religion love each other. We are happy to mark all festivals together. We don't have any discrimination."
"Our mission is to see to it that there should not be any discrimination among students, women, farmers and workers. We must consider all people as human beings. Without humanity, this world cannot run, continue or sustain. That is why we started saying that Bengal is a place for 'Maa, Mati, Maanush," she said.
Earlier in the evening, the CM joined specialists and academicians focused on India for high tea, filled with conversation about governance, social development and Bengal's transformative journey.
She also had a walking to-ur of Oxford University's historic campus. Accompanied by former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and university officials, she arrived approximately an hour before her presentation to explore the centuries-old institution.
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