Chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ Everywhere is Like Pulling Down Lord Ram to Streets for Politics: Bengal Min Slams BJP

West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday hit out at the BJP for chanting the name of Lord Ram for political purposes and said the saffron party cannot win the state election with “hired soldiers”. It is extremely disgraceful to use the name of Lord Ram to taunt someone or for political gains, Hakim, a senior TMC leader told reporters in the Assembly premises.

“Chanting Jai Shri Ram anywhere and everywhere is like bringing his name down to the streets and is a gross disregard of Lord Ram’s name,” HE said reacting to scribes’ questions. “There is nothing to oppose about the chanting. But people will realise that BJP is not giving due respect to religion and Lord Ram,” Hakim said.

The 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Subhas Chandra Bose in the state had ended in abject bitterness as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to deliver her speech at the main ‘Parakram Diwas’ event at Victoria Memorial after ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans greeted her. TMC had criticised the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was present at the function on the “reprehensible treatment” meted out to her. The incident reflected the ”misogynistic mindset” of certain people, TMC leader and minister Bratya Basu had said.

Reacting to a question about BJP trying to wean away TMC workers ahead of the state election, he said the saffron party cannot win the coming poll battle with “hired soilders”. BJP leader Sovan Chatterjee, a former TMC leader and former city mayor, is said to be in touch with some leaders of Banerjee’s party in Diamond Harbour, the constituency of her nephew Abhishek.

Assembly polls in West Bengal are due in April-may this year.