New Delhi (Sputnik): Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, has faced sharp criticism by the main opposition party — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which has accused her of practicing "anti-Hindu" politics in order "to appease Muslims".
The allegation was levelled in the wake of several BJP supporters being taken into custody on 30 May for raising slogans in the name of Lord Rama, a Hindu god.
On a previous occasion, she lost her cool upon hearing some people chanting "Jai Shri Ram" (hail lord Ram), allegedly to tease her just as her motorcade passed through those areas. A video appeared on the web showing West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee getting out of her car to confront people chanting "Jai Shri Ram" slogans in the North 24 Parganas district of the state. Mamata can be heard saying in Bengali "These are all outsiders and BJP people, they are criminals and were abusing me. They are not from Bengal".
Against the fire Jai Shri Ram
— Journalist Amit kumar (@amitkumarjha079) May 31, 2019
This is the latest clip Of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee where she got infuriated when Crowd greeted her with #JaiShreeRam. @bjp #ModiSarkaar2 She called the locals as outsiders and BJP supporters for chanting JSR and termed the slogan abusive. pic.twitter.com/OlvkdnnZsr
Claiming that Hindus feel insecure under her government, BJP West Bengal General Secretary Raju Banerjee said: "Mamata getting agitated at Jai Shri Ram chants only vindicates that she is the most communally divisive Chief Minister of India. She with her anti-Hindu propaganda is trying to pit the Hindus against the Muslims. I feel she may be trying to incite communal riots in the whole state".
Further accusing her of trying to communally polarise the environment in the state, the BJP leader said "She was trying to divide the Hindus and Muslims in West Bengal all through the Parliamentary elections. In her election speeches, you would see in her rallies addressing the Hindu localities, she would chant Hindu god slogans. However, her narrative would completely change when she would address a Muslim gathering".
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Earlier throughout the campaigning of the Indian Parliamentary Elections, the BJP had constantly accused Mamata and her party of indulging in "Muslim appeasement" at the cost of Hindus living in the state.
The Chief Minister Banerjee though has constantly denied the "anti-Hindu" allegations levelled against her while accusing the BJP of trying to incite communal feelings among the Hindus. She had also termed the people chanting the slogans of being "outsiders who do not belong to Bengal".
Refuting her claims, the state unit of BJP is now planning to counter the "anti-Hindu" politics of Banerjee. "In one of her statements in Bengali language, she used a proverb which would translate that ‘it would be even okay to get kicked by the Muslims as long as they keep voting for her party'".
Recently, newly elected BJP MP from West Bengal Arjun Singh said that he planned to send one million post cards to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with "Jai Shri Ram" written on them. In retaliation, Banjerjee's Trinamool Congress said they would send two million post cards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with "Jai Hind" (hail India), "Jai Bangla" (hail Bengal), and "Vande Matram" (I bow before the motherland) written on them.
The BJP, whose presence had been negligent in the state since Indian independence, emerged as the main opposition party in the recently held parliamentary elections winning 18 of the 42 seats. Banerjee's Trinamool Congress won 23, a decline from its previous tally of 34 seats.
