Jai Sri Ram slogans mar central govt event in Howrah
Times of India | 31 December 2022
HOWRAH: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee refused to take the dais at Howrah station during the flagging-off ceremony of Vande Bharat Express on Friday, after a crowd of flag-bearing BJP workers shouted 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans on seeing the CM approach the stage on platform 23.
In January 2021, a similar barracking at Netaji's birth anniversary ceremony at Victoria Memorial had prompted the chief minister to cut short her speech as a protest against the "humiliation" and the "politicisation of a dignified affair".
In a marked departure from then, BJP leaders, including railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bankura MP Subhas Sarkar, tried to stop the sloganeering and convince CM Banerjee to take the dais. Banerjee referred to this issue when Governor CV Ananda Bose spoke to her.
Vaishnaw later said, "I am thankful that she (CM Banerjee) attended the programme. We did not wish to hurt anyone. The choice to not take the stage was hers and we do not wish to comment on her decision. On our part, we were very sincere in extending our invitation."
"Aisi koi baat nahi hui ke naraz hone ki baat ho. Karyakarta naare lagate hai (Nothing occurred to cause any angst. Workers often mouth slogans)", he added.
Earlier, Banerjee was headed towards the dais but stopped on hearing the slogans. Vaishnaw and Sarkar were seen gesturing to the crowd to stop, but the BJP supporters -- many of whom were sporting saffron scarves and holding banners of PM Modi - upped their volume of 'Jai Sri Ram' chants.
The ministers even walked towards the end of the dais and made an attempt to take the microphone in order to ask the supporters to stop sloganeering. However, the chief minister walked past the dais and sat on a chair in the front row of the platform-level seating area.
Chief secretary HK Dwivedi and Howrah MP Prasun Banerjee took the seats beside her. Interestingly, behind CM Banerjee sat BJP leaders Priyanka Tibrewal and Agnimitra Paul. The chief minister did not make any references to this issue when she spoke on the occasion, but her party did.
Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said, "This is ridiculous. They are using Jai Sri Ram to instigate others. Ram is holy, but doing such an act is an insult to faith. We know how to deal with these. We are being courteous, but do they even deserve it? The chief minister is a Hindu who worships regularly."
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Those who worship Ram have every right to say 'Jai Sri Ram'. But what has it got to do with Vande Bharat's flag-off? Everyone takes the name of Ram, but why misuse it? This is being uncivilised. When someone leaves, we say 'Dugga Dugga' (referring to Durga).
But, the manner in which the BJP supporters today were shouting 'Jai Sri Ram' only proves that they have reduced politics and society to child's play. This is not constructive politics. Ram is God. We should always have him in our hearts and minds, why drag him into politics."
BJP Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee said, "Jai Sri Ram slogans are in the blood of every BJP worker. This was not meant to insult CM Banerjee. The workers got emotional after seeing PM Narendra Modi and hence they shouted 'Jai Sri Ram'. This should not be mixed with politics." Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, however, chose to deviate from others and criticised the CM for it.