The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress’ desperation ahead of the all-important assembly polls in April-May this year knows no bounds. Faced by an unprecedented offensive of the BJP, the incumbent party is shivering at the prospect of losing its hard-earned power, much like the Left did ten years ago. Perhaps realising that the TMC’s bid to win-over disenchanted Hindus of the state right before the elections is not working, the party has now chosen to instead consolidate support among other sections of society, particularly the minorities. To the same effect, a TMC MLA Kalyan Banerjee has made a highly denigratory and vile statement about Mata Sita.
Allegedly speaking at an election rally, Banerjee can be heard saying, “Goddess Sita told Lord Ram that it was better that she was abducted by Ravana, because if his followers in Saffron would have abducted her, then her fate would be same as Hathras rape victim.” The same was revealed through a video now viral on Twitter, which was first posted by BJP leader and former Tripura and Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy.
Know this man?
Kalyan Banerjee,a Trinamool MP with a Hindu Brahmin name.
He's saying,"Sitaji tells Rama,I'm lucky that I was kidnapped by Ravana. If it was your chelas wearing bhagwa headgear,my state would have been like the raped woman of Hathras".Ram Bhakts,will you reply? https://t.co/HIiWWf5BL4
— Tathagata Roy (@tathagata2) January 10, 2021
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, used derogatory language against Sita-mata. Claims that she told Bhagwaan Ram, “thank God, I was abducted by Ravan and not by your chelas or else my fate would have been same as Hathras victim!”
Is trampling on Hindu sentiment Pishi’s idea of appeasement? pic.twitter.com/rCff9O8iYC
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) January 9, 2021
Hitting out at Kalyan Banerjee, BJP’s Bengal poll in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya said that TMC is rattled due to the popularity of BJP. He said, “All these are rubbish and foolish remarks. I would not even react to it because this kind of rubbish is said by rubbish people. I would just want to advise that they should go to a psychiatrist.” National spokesperson of the BJP, Sambit Patra meanwhile dared the TMC to pass such distasteful remarks about Islam.
This is not the first time that the TMC’s blatant Hinduphobia has come out in the open. Earlier in 2019, seven people were detained for chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’at the convoy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In fact, Mamata even got down from her vehicle and lashed out at the Hindus, saying, “What do you think of yourself? You will come from other states, stay here and abuse us? I will not tolerate this. How dare you all abuse me? All of your names and details will be noted down.”
Read more: School students asked to write on Jai Shree Ram and cut money in Bengal
After the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act, the TMC-controlled state assembly had passed a resolution against the same, effectively signalling that the government of West Bengal was against persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and other minorities of three neighbouring Islamic countries being granted refuge in India.
The TMC government, only in August last year, also imposed a state-wide lockdown on the day of the Bhoomi Poojan at Ram Janmsthaan only goes on to stamp authority over the anti-Hindu mentality of the TMC.
Meanwhile, according to a report in Organiser, the Class VI history textbook of West Bengal Govt Schools describes Shri Ram as a ‘Nomadic Character’. The book describes the word ‘Ram’ in Sanskrit to mean ‘Roaming’. It also falsely claims that the Sanskrit word ‘Ram’ has evolved from the English word ‘Roaming’ since both say the same— wandering. This, to hijack young and susceptible minds into believing that Shri Ram was an outsider who defeated the indigenous people of the land.
With Hindus of the state now rallying behind the saffron party, the TMC is visibly desperate to convince at least its minority voters to stick with it ahead of the crucial assembly polls. Needless to say, the brazen Hinduphobia of TMC leaders will bring near an imminent downfall of the ruling party, which has already irritated vast sections of society owing to its authoritarian machinations.