BJP trying to create atmosphere of 'Talibani Hinduism': Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
The Trinamool Congress chief's comments came in the backdrop of the alleged lynching of 28-year-old Akbar Khan in Rajasthan's Alwar district today by a group of people on the suspicion that he was smuggling cows.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP of trying to create an "atmosphere of Talibani Hinduism and Talibani communalism" in the country and gave a call for ouster of the saffron party in the next Lok Sabha polls.
The Trinamool Congress chief's comments came in the backdrop of the alleged lynching of 28-year-old Akbar Khan in Rajasthan's Alwar district today by a group of people on the suspicion that he was smuggling cows.
Banerjee, a strident critic of the BJP, said the saffron party was trying to create "an atmosphere of Talbani communalism, Talibani violence and of lynching and hatred".
Addressing the 25th annual Martyrs' Day rally at Esplanade in the heart of the city, she said, "We (TMC) do not believe in their concept of Talibani Hinduism and Hinduism with weapons.
"We believe in Hinduism preached by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramkrishna Pramahansa...Those who now rule the country have bloodstains on their hands."
Giving the call of 'BJP hatao, desh bachao' at the massive rally, she claimed that her party would win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Attacking the BJP, Banerjee said, "Everyday people are being lynched. Today too one person was lynched. They (BJP) have unleashed religious terrorism. Before lecturing the states to take steps against those involved in lynching, they should ask their own leaders to behave."
The TMC supremo said that she respected the BJP-RSS old timers as they were not into "playing dirty games" but not its present leaders and would organise a federal front to remove the saffron party from power at the Centre.
She said the TMC would hold a mega rally at the Brigade Parade ground here on January 19 to sound the poll bugle to capture power in Delhi in the next Lok Sabha election and opposition party leaders from across the country would be invited for it.
Hitting back, the BJP said that Banerjee should "stop dreaming" of becoming the next prime minister as her ambition will never be fulfilled.
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha told reporters here, "There are doubts whether she would be able to retain the Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal and she is dreaming of Delhi."
The BJP will also hold a rally at the same venue on January 23 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address it, he said.