'Jai Shri Ram' slogans irk Mamata Banerjee, lashes out saying 'Don't invite and insult'

On Saturday evening, during commemoration event of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's 125th birth anniversary at Kolkata's Victoria Memorial, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee erupted in anger at the crowd after she was faced with chants of 'Jai Shri Ram'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar were also present at the event.

"I think the government's program should have dignity. This is not a political program. It doesn't suit you to insult someone after inviting them. As a protest, I won't speak anything," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. She just said 'Jai Hind, Jai Bangla' and took her seat next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, she thanked PM Modi and the culture ministry for holding the event in Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke shortly afterwards and began by referring to the Chief Minister as 'behen Mamata'.

Issuing a statement after Mamata's reaction at the Victoria Memorial event, her party said, "During government of India's event on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's 125th birth anniversary, 'Jai Sree Ram' slogans were hurled. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protests for not maintaining decorum at a Government event and reducing it to a political event by limiting her address to Jai Hind and Jai Bangla."

Amid the ongoing tussle between the Centre and the West Bengal government ahead of the assembly elections in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee were seen together as PM Modi took a tour at Victoria Memorial ahead of the event.

The chief minister had lost her cool twice in the past over people chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' at some places in the state while her motorcade was passing through. Eight people were detained by Jagaddal Police in the North 24 Parganas in 2019, for shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' as her motorcade passed through Bhatpara area of North 24 Parganas district.

In June last year, Mamata Banerjee said that while she respects slogans invoking Lord Ram, she had a problem with the BJP using them in a "misconceived manner by way of mixing religion with politics".