West Bengal: BJP’s Rath Yatra Is Ravan Yatra, Says Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has dubbed Bharatiya Janata Party’s planned ‘Rath Yatra’ in the state as ‘Ravan Yatra’ and said that in order to ‘purify’ the roads defiled by it, TMC would carry out its own ‘Shanti Yatra’, reported Economic Times.
Economic Times quoted Banerjee addressing a party’s meeting in Kolkata as saying, “A political party seems to be very excited about holding some yatras in Bengal calling it Rath Yatra. But it is actually Ravan yatra.”
Mamata further added, “I have instructed all TMC leaders and workers not to clash with them or stop them,” an announcement of significance given the poor record of the TMC ruled state in witnessing political violence during election times.
In response to the BJP’s Yatra, Banerjee said that TMC would take out Shanti Yatra and Ekta Yatra in every block and every district a day after the Ravan Yatra to “sanctify all such roads and keep our land pavitra.”
She also came out in support of those who have been excluded from the NRC list in Assam.
On the other hand, BJP state President Dilip Ghosh said that nothing would stop the Yatra to “establish democracy” in Bengal.
Bharatiya Janta Party’s Rath Yatra, a first in state’s political history, will cover entire West Bengal and see participation of eminent party leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Biplab Deb, Sarbananda Sonowal and Raghubar Das.
The Yatra, starting from 5 December will be inaugurated by Amit Shah and continue for a month covering all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.