Mamata Banerjee is set to perform puja at Kalighat temple and then offer prayers at a gurdwara, mosque and church during a 3.5km interfaith harmony rally that she will lead in Calcutta on January 22, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi will helm the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“I will be going to Kalighat temple for a few minutes and offer a puja.... Then we will start the interfaith march from Hazra Crossing. On my way towards Park Circus maidan, I will be offering prayers at a gurdwara, a mosque and a church,” the Bengal chief minister told reporters on Thursday evening after inaugurating the Calcutta Book Fair.

According to Mamata, the march will move towards Ballygunge Phari from the Hazra Crossing and she will take a short detour — on a two-wheeler — to visit the gurdwara at Garcha to offer her prayers.

“Before entering the meeting venue, Park Circus Maidan, I will also be offering my prayers at a mosque and a church near Lady Brabourne College,” said the Bengal
chief minister, who seeks to highlight the inclusive character of India by holding the interfaith march.

During a news meet at Nabanna on Thursday, Mamata announced her plans to lead the interfaith march on January 22. Then she took care to explain that the programme was aimed at fostering peace and amity between communities and stressed she didn’t plan to protest or organise a counter-event on that day.

Maintaining the same line of argument, Mamata stressed on Thursday she was not against the inauguration of any temple but she felt the urge to organise the interfaith programme — so far the only such event headed by a chief minister on January 22 — as she had love and respect for all religions and communities.

The chief minister said that she would send her prayer offerings to some other places of worship like the Jain temple and the Swami Narayan Temple on Monday.

“Religious heads from different communities will be on the dais at the Park Circus Maidan programme.... And all of them will speak,” said Mamata.

According to Mamata, representatives of different communities and members of the civil society have expressed interest in joining the rally.

“As we cannot accommodate all interested people in the rally, some will go straight to the programme venue,” she said.

Mamata instructed the Calcutta Municipal Corporation to organise proper illumination at the venue and along the route.