West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday appeared to accuse the Bharatiya Janata Party, without identifying it, of trying to introduce an “inhuman religion” based on divisive politics, PTI reported. She was speaking at an event on International Mother Language Day.
The Trinamool Congress chief said that “the party” is trying to change the history of India. “They are trying to create an inhuman religion based on their belief and decide who are going to stay in the country and who will leave,” Banerjee said. “They are deciding in which language people will speak, what the people will eat and wear. They are trying to change the history of the country.”
She said her government will not allow divisive politics to thrive and urged citizens to ignore provocations meant to create differences. “United India is what we want,” she said.
Her riddled jibes are an apparent reference to the Centre’s regulation on cow slaughter, attempts to introduce strict laws governing citizenship and other matters.
The chief minister also condemned the violence and threats against Kashmiris following the Pulwama attacks. “We cannot ask a Kashmiri shawl trader to leave because an incident had happened,” Banerjee said. “How audacious they are to order one doctor who is practising here for more than 20 years to leave for one single incident.”
Earlier on Thursday, she urged people to use their mother tongue to protest against attempts to divide the country. “Best wishes to all on International Mother Language Day,” she had tweeted. “Respect all languages but take pride in your mother tongue.”
International Mother Language Day is observed to promote awareness on linguistic and cultural diversity.
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