New Delhi, January 23: The BJP and the TMC locked horns on Saturday in Kolkata after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declined to speak at an official programme to celebrate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary after ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised from the audience in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While refusing to address the event, Mamata said such “insult” was unacceptable. “This is a government programme and not a political programme. There has to be dignity. It doesn’t behove anybody to invite people and insult. I won’t speak. Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” she said, wrapping up.
Reacting to her response at the event, the BJP claimed that Banerjee’s reaction reflects her mindset of appeasement politics, while the ruling Trinamool Congress said no one can teach lumpens to be dignified.
However, the Congress came out in support of the West Bengal Chief Minister saying that raising slogans in this way is an insult to the chief minister, as the CPI(M) described the incident as “disgraceful to the state”.
Soon after it was announced that Mamata Banerjee will address the programme, “Jai Shri Ram” slogans were raised by a section of the audience at the lawn of Victoria Memorial Hall where the event was being held.
Sharply reacting to the action of the audience, TMC’s chief spokesperson Derek O’ Brien said that no one can teach dignity. “Dignity (noun) The state or quality of being worthy of honour and respect. You cant teach dignity. Nor can you teach lumpens to be dignified. Here is a one-min video of what exactly happened today. Including the dignified response by @MamataOfficial,” he said in a tweet, sharing the video clip.
