TMC will hold ‘Harmony Rally’ in Kolkata on Ram Temple inauguration day: Mamata

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress will organise a ‘Harmony Rally’ in Kolkata on January 22 on the occasion of the Ram Temple’s inauguration at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, the party’s supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.

Speaking to mediapersons at the state secretariat, Mamata Banerjee said that the rally would start from Hazra Crossing in South Kolkata and end at Park Circus Seven-Point Crossing in central Kolkata.

The Chief Minister will also address a meeting at the concluding point of the rally.

Mamata Banerjee added that similar harmony rallies would be organised on that day in all the districts in the state by the party’s district leaderships there.

“The ‘Harmony Rally’ will pass by religious places of all faiths. I have always said that while religion is personal, festivals are for everyone. We speak about all religions. That is exactly why the rally will pass by the religious places of all faiths,” Mamata Banerjee said.

She added that it would be wrong to perceive this rally as a counter to the Ram Temple inauguration since it is being conducted on the same day.

“The ‘Harmony Rally’ is not a counter to any other event. I have great respect for the monks and saints. I always listen to them. We are organising the rally to spread the message of unity of all religions, since the next day is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,” the Chief Minister said.

She also said that she had recently sent a communication to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising objections over the directive to paint all government offices, including educational institutions saffron. According to her, such a move is inacceptable under any circumstance.