Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 2 : TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Sunday fired back at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling his recent statement "nonsense."
This follows the Assam Chief Minister's earlier comments, who alleged that while speaking at the 'Vivekananda Sewa Samman 2025' in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi were mistaken if they thought of ending Hinduism.
Ghosh emphasised that Bengal is a unique case in which people of all faiths--Hindus, Muslims, and Christians--unite in their support for Mamata Banerjee.
"Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is talking nonsense... His party does Hindu, Muslim and Christian... But this is Bengal, here Hindus, Muslims and Christians, are all supporters of Mamata Banerjee," Ghosh told ANI.
According to Ghosh, the secret to Bengal's harmony lies in its development schemes, which are secular and inclusive, bearing no religious labels. He cited the example of Mamata Banerjee's funding for Durga Puja committees, which was even increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite opposition from the BJP.
"Entire Bengal (supports her), because the development schemes here do not have the name of any religion on them... For example, in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee funds every Durga Puja committee to promote Durga Puja. During the time of Corona, the funding was increased and the BJP opposed it... Now, they are giving statements. Himanta Biswa Sarma should not be involved in all of this now," he added.
Earlier in the day, Sarma said, "Aurangzeb had vowed to destroy Hinduism, but Hinduism did not end, Aurangzeb ended...Today, I would like to say to Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi that if they think that they can end Hinduism, I would like to tell them that Hinduism will not end...Hinduism can never end."
The Assam Chief Minister said that in India, whenever there has been a threat to 'Dharma, ' people have raised their voices to safeguard it.
"Today we have honoured Swami Pradiptananda with the Swami Vivekananda Seva Award...In India, whenever there has been a threat to our Dharma, people have raised their voices to safeguard it... Swami ji has always accepted challenges that came in the way of protecting Dharma and has made a resolution to do everything for Sanatan Dharma. Such a personality is a guiding light and an inspiration for us," he said.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, BJP leader Rahul Sinha urged the people of West Bengal to remove the TMC government from the state.
Speaking to ANI, Sinha said that the leftists have been wiped out from West Bengal.
"The leftists have been wiped out from the entire Bengal. Those who are left have taken refuge in Jadavpur University. TMC always spreads violence. Action should be taken against the students involved in this incident," he said.
"Today, all the TMC leaders are protesting, but when the left-wing students attacked the Governor, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC supported it. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is anti-West Bengal. We urge the people to wipe out TMC just as they have wiped out the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from West Bengal," the BJP leader added.