Mamata Banerjee said that she was ready to give her life, but would not allow "divisions in the country" while speaking at the Id prayer congregation at Red Road here on Saturday.
The Bengal chief minister's assertion came with a plea to the Muslims to unite and ensure that the BJP is defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“We want peace in West Bengal. We don't want riots. We want peace. We don't want divisions in the country.... I promise today on Id, I am ready to give my life but I will not let the country be divided," Mamata said.
Mamata’s presence at the Red Road prayer gathering on Id organised by the Calcutta Khilafat Committee has been a regular sight since the change of guard in Bengal in 2011.
"All I would like to tell you is stay peaceful, don't listen to anyone," said Mamata, who was accompanied by her nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee and minister Javed Khan.
This message can be linked to the communal strife in Howrah, Rishra and Dalkhola during Ram Navami, which the saffron camp tried to use as part of its polarisation agenda.
Her efforts to maintain peace and harmony was lauded by Qazi Fazlur Rahman who presided over the Id prayers.
Mamata reminded the audience of the need to stay united to oust the BJP-led Centre.
"In one year, Lok Sabha elections will be held to decide who will come to power in our country. Let us promise that we will unite and fight divisive forces. We must ensure that all of us together vote them out in the next polls," said Mamata. “All your people who work outside (the state) must come during the 2024 elections. Everyone must vote,” she added, claiming the saffron camp was trying to divide Muslim votes.
In Bengal, the Muslims, who form around 30 per cent of the electorate, backed Mamata in the 2021 Assembly polls. A different narrative, however, is taking shape in the last few months, especially after Trinamul lost the minority-dominated Sagardighi seat in a bypoll, with the Opposition talking about minority disenchantment.
While Trinamul publicly swatted away this narrative, Mamata removed Md Ghulam Rabbani and took charge of the minority affairs department. Haroa MLA Haji Nurul Islam was replaced by the Itahar MLA Mosaraf Hossain as the head of Trinamul’s Bengal minority cell.
Mamata spoke of her stand against the implementation of the National Register of Citizens and urged the Muslims to "have faith" in her.
“They are bringing back the NRC. I said I will not allow that here. This is why keep your promise, have faith…” she said amid loud cheers.
Lashing out at the BJP-led Centre, she said: "A gaddar party with whom I have to fight, I have to fight (central) agencies too, I fight them because I have the courage...."
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari lambasted Mamata as "Shameless Communal CM" in a tweet. "Do you have any iota of respect towards them or do you consider them to be only your vote bank?" he asked.
In a video message on social media on Saturday, Mamata also shared Akshaya Tritiya greetings.
