Panaji: Trinamool Congress Party chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that he remembers River Ganga only to garner votes, but later forgets it.
She accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of making Ganga impure by throwing unclaimed dead bodies of COVID-19 victims in it.
The West Bengal chief minister was addressing a public meeting at Assnora village in North Goa on her last day Goa visit on Tuesday.
She said that at Gangasgar, which is in West Bengal, around 23 lakh people visit annually to participate in Ganga Sagar mela, alike Kumbh mela.
“We don’t worship Ganga only during the time of elections. During the election time, Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) went and took a dip in River Ganga,” she said.
Banerjee said that he took a dip in River Ganga “only to get votes.” “He can do anything to get votes, he went to Uttarakhand and performed Tapasya. We have no objection to it, let him do what he wants, he has freedom but where are you during the entire year,” she commented.
The West Bengal chief minister accused the Uttar Pradesh government of throwing dead bodies of the people who died due to COVID-19 infection in River Ganga, when they were not claimed by their families.
“They have made ganga mai ‘apavitra’ (impure). We call Ganga water pure, we call it our mother. BJP has thrown COVID-19 dead bodies in Ganga. We don’t like it,” she said.
Talking about the tag of Bengali party to TMC, Banerjee said “they say we are Bengalis, (but) who are they? They are Gujaratis.”
“Have we ever said that he is Gujarati and he should not come here? If Gujarati can go to the entire country, why can’t Bengalis go. If any Bengali writes the national anthem, can’t he go to Goa?,” she questioned.
Banerjee said that Gandhiji was seen as a leader of the nation. “We don’t think which part of the country he belonged to. A true leader should take the country together,” she commented.
The West Bengal chief minister said that “Goa will not be run from Gujarat or Delhi, Goans will run Goa.”
Goa Suraj Party (Revolution Goans) is anti-National party. Because GSRP (RG) say Ghati to Indians who are staying and working in Goa. Ghati is a bad word for Indians who are staying and working in Goa.