Countering the BJP charges that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was indulging in appeasement of Muslims, Trinamool Congress MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty have said ‘Mamata Didi’ was trying to bring equality among all religions.
‘’ They (opposition in Bengal) are after Didi, and even named her as Mamata Begum and Mamata Khatoon. She is trying to bring equality among all religions. Why don’t people see that she visits temples and Hindu poojas regularly? Why don’t they see that Didi leaves home every morning after performing Chandi (goddess) prayers?”the Trinamool MPs said on the show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ on India TV .
On Mamata Banerjee shouting at protesters shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans, Nusrat Jahan said: ” Taking God’s name is not a crime, but when you involve politics and chant God’s name with an intention to demean others, then it is wrong. I am saying this from a neutral ground. Suppose, every morning I wake up and shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ several times and try to give a political colour to it, people won’t accept. One day you too will be fed up and you will shout at me. Those who were protesting should have shown respect to Didi, because she is after all the Chief Minister.”
‘’ It all comes to the issue of portrayal. If you have to chant God’s name, chant ‘Ma Kali’ also, but you should not give a political touch to that,’’she said on the programme, to be telecast on Saturday night.
Asked to respond to an Islamic scholar from Bareilly saying that Nusrat Jahan is no more a Muslim since she had married a Jain and had sported ‘sindoor’ and had worn Hindu marriage bangles, the Trinamool MP replied:” Nobody has the right to snatch away my religion and my faith (imaan). If I am not in direct contact with Allah, then I’m hoping that others too have also no such direct contact. Religion is a matter of faith and my faith is solid (pakka). By sporting ‘sindoor’ and wearing mangal sutra, I do not lose my faith.”
