Mamata Banerjee Slams BJP Over ‘Fake Hinduism’ Remark, Condemns Religious Polarisation

 Kolkata, March 13 (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday strongly criticized Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for his controversial remarks about Muslim MLAs, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of promoting a distorted version of Hinduism for political gain.

According to reports, Adhikari claimed that if the BJP assumes power in West Bengal next year, Muslim MLAs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would be "thrown out" of the state assembly. Responding sharply, Banerjee accused the BJP of misinterpreting Hinduism and attempting to deny fundamental rights to the Muslim community.

‘BJP Manipulating Religious Sentiments for Political Gain’

"Your imported Hindu dharma is not supported by the Vedas or our seers. How can you deny the rights of Muslims as citizens? This is nothing but a fraud. You are importing fake Hinduism," Banerjee asserted, condemning the BJP’s alleged efforts to use religion as a political tool.

She further stated, “I have the right to protect Hindu dharma, but not your version of it. Please don’t play the Hindu card.” She denounced Adhikari’s claim that the Hindu majority would remove the TMC from power, questioning, “How can your leader say that when Muslims win, you people will remove them from the assembly? How can they dismiss 33% of the population?”

‘India Stands for Religious Harmony’

Banerjee invoked the legacy of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad while reiterating her government’s commitment to protecting all religious communities. "This is a country with its own principles. In West Bengal, we have 23% tribal brothers and sisters, along with other communities, including Muslims. We are committed to ensuring the protection of all religions and maintaining peace," she said.

Calling for unity, the Chief Minister urged people not to be deceived by divisive politics. "I condemn those who divide people based on religion. They speak of Hindus and Muslims but ignore the true message of humanity,” she added.

BJP MLAs Stage Walkout Over ‘Fake Hinduism’ Remark

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the West Bengal assembly in protest against Banerjee’s remarks. Led by BJP Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, around 25 legislators also demonstrated outside the main gate of the assembly.

The protesters alleged that an unidentified individual, dressed in black—possibly from the police’s special branch or affiliated with the TMC—was present in the gallery, raising concerns over security and transparency within the assembly.