Mamata slams BJP, calls Ram Mandir event a 'gimmick show' ahead of polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (File photo)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya, calling it a "gimmick show" ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Banerjee's remarks clearly indicate that the BJP is using the extravagant event for political posturing to gain mileage in the run-up to the polls. She was addressing a state government event in Jaynagar, South 24-Parganas on January 9 when for the first time she went public with her opinion on the Ram Mandir issue.

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"Yesterday, I was requested to share my thoughts on the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, as if I had no other responsibilities. In response, I stated that religion is a personal matter, but festivals are meant for everyone. I hold a belief in celebrations that bring people together," she said.

"You're doing this for a show, probably for election gimmicks. I don't have any objections to that," Banerjee continued, "But you can't overlook the needs of people from other communities."

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Reports suggest that Banerjee, or her second-in-command Abhishek, was unlikely to be present. Instead, a couple of senior MPs from the party were expected to represent Trinamool Congress at the event.

In response to the chief minister's comments, state BJP chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya accused her of engaging in appeasement politics, claiming that the CM has taken a stance against Ram, the Bhagavad Gita, and India's cultural heritage to signal a specific section of society, aiming for their unity against the BJP.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, responsible for the temple construction, has extended invitations to 7,000 individuals, with 3,000 being designated as VVIPs. These invitations are for the consecration ceremony scheduled to take place over seven days, commencing on January 16.