Kolkata: The controversy surrounding the Waqf Amendment Act has now reached the Supreme Court, as protests escalate across the country, with West Bengal emerging as the epicentre of resistance. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken a defiant stand against the central government, accusing it of maligning Bengal with misleading narratives.
Speaking at a meeting with Muslim clerics in Kolkata on Wednesday, Banerjee admitted to “some irregularities in certain areas of Murshidabad concerning the Waqf Act” but firmly denied allegations that her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), had any role in the recent violence. “If the TMC was truly behind the violence, as the opposition alleges, then why were our leaders’ homes attacked?” she questioned, calling the claims politically motivated.
Banerjee accused the Centre of attempting to defame Bengal using doctored visuals and misinformation. “Some media people have come from outside (the state) and are showing fake videos. We have nabbed them… out of eight videos… some are from Karnataka, some from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar or Rajasthan and they are tarnishing Bengal. They should be ashamed,” she said.
Targeting the BJP and sections of the media, she added, “The Centre hiked petrol, diesel prices and some ‘godi media’ speak only against Bengal, speak against me. I just want to say that if you have to tell anything then come in front of me and say it. You people publish fake news.”
Banerjee also hit back at allegations of religious discrimination, asserting that Bengal celebrates all faiths with equal fervour. “Where does the BJP go when we renovate Kaali temples? When we celebrate Durga Puja, they claim we don’t allow festivities. Saraswati Puja is celebrated in every household in Bengal, yet they say we have stopped it. These are baseless allegations,” she said.
Reaffirming Bengal’s secular values, Banerjee emphasized her belief in ‘Sarva Dharma Samabhava’ – equal respect for all religions – and said she draws inspiration from Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda.
