BJP trying to disrupt unity of Hindus and Muslims to hold on to power at Centre: TMC MP

Kolkata, Dec 6 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP of trying to disrupt the unity of Hindus and Muslims for holding on to the mantle at the Centre.

Stating that 'Sanhati Diwas' (Unity Day) is held every year on December 6 by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee since she was a Youth Congress leader, he said that she went around the riot-hit Kolkata in the aftermath of the Babri Mosque demolition in 1992.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to divide the unity of Hindus and Muslims for staying in power at the Centre," Banerjee said while speaking at a programme organised by the TMC leadership to mark the day in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue here.

The four-time TMC Lok Sabha MP said that India's Independence came through the struggle of people from all communities -- Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, etc.

"It cannot be that you (BJP) will go with only one religion," he said, maintaining that people of all religions will continue to stay in a democratic set up in India.

"Mamata Banerjee went around Kolkata to provide succour to the affected people in those difficult days of communal strife in the aftermath of the demolition," he said.

He accused the CPI(M) of not providing necessary support to the minorities during those days of strife in 1992.

"Whenever people from the Muslim community or any other community faced any problem, Mamata Banerjee has always stood by them," the TMC MP said.

"She will always be noted across India as the person to stand by people in problem," he said.

Minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said TMC supremo has imbibed in party workers the feeling of brotherhood, irrespective of anyone's religion.

"We, from all religions, have come together to mark this day - Sanhati Diwas," he said.

"It was not just demolition of a mosque, but a blow was struck by the BJP on people's faith that 'this is my India'." Stating that the people had accepted with respect the Supreme Court's directive on the mandir-masjid issue at Ayodhya, he claimed that even thereafter attacks are coming down on "secular people".

"The BJP is trying to create religious divide among people and they are being assisted by some of our people who are known as gaddar (traitor), Mir Jafar," he said.

He was alluding to suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a mosque modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid at Rejinagar in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

Hakim said that the social fabric of the country has to be kept together and secularism must be upheld.

"One day Pakistan was created by breaking away from India, but because of religious fanaticism it is one of the most backward five countries in the world," the TMC minister said.

"And of the five topmost countries known for secularism, India is one, because our unity is our strength," he said.

Hakim said that the path of togetherness shown by Mamata Banerjee is the only way for India's unity, freedom and progress.

Speaking at the programme, minister Shashi Panja said that Ramkrishna Paramahansa has preached unity of different religions.

"Today Sunali Khatun has returned to her native Paikor village in Birbhum district. This is a victory of our Constitution," she said.

Arrested by Delhi Police in June this year on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national and subsequently pushed to the neighbouring nation, Sunali, a migrant resident of Birbhum, was repatriated through the Malda border on Friday, alongside her minor son Sabir, following a Supreme Court directive.

"Those who term people as Bangladeshis for speaking in Bengali language have been disgraced with the return of Sunali," the minister said, adding, "Our leader Mamata Banerjee has constantly fought for her cause." Claiming that the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls undertaken by the Election Commission was taking away people's voting rights, she said that it is also putting a question mark on the citizenship of a person. PTI AMR NN