West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that people are trying to divide the country through politics of hatred while asserting that she would not let the country divide in the name of religion and is ready to lay down her life for it.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee visited Red Road in Kolkata where people offered namaz on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr. Addressing the gathering, Mamata Banerjee said, “We want peace in Bengal. We don’t want riots. We want peace. We don’t want divisions in the country.”

“Those who want to create divides in the country – I promise today on Eid, I am ready to give my life but I will not let the country divide. We don’t want danga, we don’t want a clash. We want shanti (peace),” she added.

“If democracy will go away, everything will go away. Today Constitution is being changed, history is being changed. They brought NRC; I told them that I will not let them do that,” the Bengal CM stated.

Earlier, on the occasion of Ram Navami, several vehicles were set on fire after two groups clashed in Howrah. During the procession, the rioters vandalized public and private properties and set vehicles on fire.

Launching a scathing attack at the BJP-led Central government, the West Bengal CM said, “Someone takes money from BJP and says that they will divide Muslim votes. I tell them that they don’t have the courage to divide Muslim votes for BJP. It is my promise to you today. There is one year to elections. See who will get elected and who won’t.”

“All I would like to tell you is – stay peaceful, don’t listen to anyone. A “gaddar party” with whom I have to fight, I have to fight agencies too – I fight them because I have the courage to do so but I am not ready to cow down,” she added.

Condemning the release of the 11 convicts who had gang-raped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots, the CM said, “Everyone was released in the Bilkis case. But we will not tolerate all this. We will fight and we will win.”

The Gujarat government granted remission to 11 convicts on August 10 last year following which they walked free on August 15, 2022.

“Leaders should always keep unity. We dont want to destroy anything. I pray to Allah to give us s hakti (power). If we are united then I am sure we can defeat them,” Banerjee added.

TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee also reiterated CM Mamata Banerjee’s words.
He said, “Be it Christmas, Durga Puja or Eid, we in West Bengal have unity. We dont want any division. This only happens in West Bengal. No other state or city has this. They want to divide and rule. But this can’t happen. There should be brotherhood everywhere.”

“The trees, roads, and soil don’t have a caste. Allah and God are not bad. Those people who divide people are. Those who will try to apply the divide-and-rule policy in Bengal will not be tolerated. We say, Jay Hind, we say Vande Mataram as well as we say Jai Bangla,” he added.

Muslims across India, as well as different parts of the world on Saturday, are celebrating the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr by offering namaz. The festival marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan.

Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The festival is of great significance due to the moon sighting which has been part of Islamic culture for a long time. It is believed that Prophet Muhammad used to wait for news of sightings of the crescent moon as it narrated the beginning of a new month.

Ending the holy month of Ramzan and starting a new spiritual journey also marks the beginning of a new Islamic year.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the month-long Ramzan fasting and the beginning of Shawwal which is the tenth month per the Islamic calendar. Since the observance of the moon is essential for ending Ramzan month and celebrating Eid, it is celebrated in different parts on different days usually with a one-day difference.