People wrongly accuse me of appeasement; I am secular in true sense: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (file image)

• Mamata Banerjee denies appeasement, claims secularism and attending all faith events.
• She raised concerns over voter list revision, alleging harassment and deaths
• Banerjee pledges to defend democratic rights, denounces discrimination against Bengalis

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday rejected allegations of indulging in appeasement, asserting that she is "secular in the true sense" and participates in programmes across faiths without discrimination.

She was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of 'Durga Angan', a cultural complex dedicated to Goddess Durga, at New Town in Kolkata.

"People accuse me of indulging in appeasement, but it is not correct. I am secular in the true sense," she said, adding that she attends programmes of all religions.

The Trinamool Congress supremo did not identify the accuser, but the opposition BJP often charges her with appeasing the Muslims.

"You do not say anything when I visit a Gurdwara, but start criticising me when I attend an Eid programme," Banerjee said, adding that one must love all religions.

"When I visit a Gurdwara, I cover my head with a scarf. If I go (to an event) during Ramadan, why should I not (do the same)? Today, I am here, so I have covered myself with a scarf," she added.

Banerjee also flagged concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, alleging harassment of people and loss of lives.

"People are being harassed unnecessarily. More than 50 people have either committed suicide or died within a month (since the rollout of SIR in Bengal on November 4). We cannot stand this," she said.

What is the relationship between citizenship and the right to vote, Banerjee asked. "If someone speaks Bengali, the individual does not get rooms in hotels. If someone speaks Bengali, the individual is labelled as Bangladeshi. Before partition, we were all together," she said.

The TMC chief was alluding to alleged intimidation of Bengali-speaking Muslims in various BJP-ruled states on suspicion of being Bangladeshis.

The CM said, "We love all casts, creeds, religions; our ideology is humanity. Remember, I am tolerating this, I am being patient. But even patience has a limit. We will continue fighting to protect the democratic rights of people, and are ready to lay down our lives for that."