Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday opposed the idea of religion that discriminates or decides who will stay and who is out. She said the brains of those who believe in such a concept had turned into “morubhumi (desert)”.

“These days, a strange idea of religion has cropped up among a few, a religion that says aami thaakbo, tumi baad (I’ll stay and you are out), that says I will eat and you are out. Aami etar pokkhey noy (I’m not in favour of this),” Mamata said. “Their (those who believe in such a concept of religion) brains have turned into a morubhumi (desert). Aamra morubhumi chaai na (We don’t want deserts).”

The chief minister was addressing a gathering of monks and devotees on the 125th birth anniversary of Swami Pranavananda, the founder of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Sharing the dais with her were monks from Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and Buddhist and Sikh orders. Idols of Hindu deities Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga were placed on the stage.

“We believe in that concept of religion that rekindles life among people, a religion that stands by in the hour of crisis. We don’t want deserts but a green and lively society.… Our religion doesn’t shut doors. Sri Ramakrishna had said as there are number of beliefs, there are number of ways (joto mot, toto poth),” she said.

Mamata didn’t take names and stayed away from uttering the words “BJP” or “RSS”. She chose her words with care for an audience dotted with saffron flags and robes.

“Some say I patronise Muslims. Toshon kori. I tell them I patronise humanity, that sense of humanity that encompasses all religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and others,” Mamata said. “The other name for humanity is service. And the other name for service is religion. When I put a garland on an idol of Ma Durga, I don’t think why. So, why would I feel differently for others?”

Mamata said she had wanted to visit Chicago on the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions. “After I accepted the invitation... the programme was cancelled... I could understand how they were pressured, so that I didn’t go,” Mamata said of her cancelled trip in 2018.

“People don’t realise Ramakrishna Mission is not just in Chicago or Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Ballygunge. These are in our minds, our hearts,” she said.