Amid the raging controversy over alleged conversion by Hindu outfits in Birbhum district in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today threatened to take “strong action” against those promoting forcible conversion and launched a veiled attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), challenging it to amend the secular Indian Constituion.
“Indian Constitution is a secular Constitution. Some people are trying to carry out forcible conversions by giving money. Why should someone force others to covert? Who gave them that responsibility?, the chief minister wanted to know.
“We shall take strong action. Law will take its own course, she said.
“Some people are saying this religion is good, that is bad. Don’t ride the rickshaw pulled by a man of this religion… etc.”, she said at a state government programme for people belonging to minority community.
“Those who want to delete the word ‘secular’ from the Constitution should bring an amendment… even that will be defeated,” she said days after BJP ally Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut demanded permanent deletion of the words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ from the preamble to the Constitution.
“If you have enough courage, amend the Constitution first before taking any such move like forcible conversion. When you are in power, you must follow good governance. Secularism is enshrined in the Constitution,” she said.
“They are controlling people; they don’t know when you are in power you must practice good governance first. Good governance doesn’t mean controlling others. You can’t control anybody’s rights. I am ready to sacrifice my life but I will not discriminate people based on their religion,” she said.
“Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains – everyone is part of this country. Every one has the right to practise his or her religion”.
Police complaints, several of them under non-bailable sections, were filed on Jaunary 29 against VHP leaders Pravin Togadia and Jugal Kishore for allegedly making hate speeches in two different programmes at Rampurhat in Birbhum district on January 28.
“There is no use intimidating me. I was, is and will always be with the people. If anyone tries to incite violence between religions, law will take its own course. We will not spare anyone,” We will not allow communal violence in Bengal,” the chief minister said.
“We are in a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. This is written in our Constitution. Nobody is allowed to forcibly convert people here,” Mamata said.
“Tribal people are our pride. Why do they have to undergo conversion. They will decide for themselves,” she said.
She was speaking at the inauguration of a six-day festival ‘Milan Mela’ of the minorities, organised jointly by the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department and West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation.
“You (BJP)are an elected government at the Centre and we are also an elected government. We have not come to power on anybody’s mercy. Its entirely a matter of federal structure. No use in threatening us….Don’t disturb Bengal.”
“If you continue to dishonour Bengal purposefully for political reasons, people will give a fitting reply. People will react against each and every attempt you make,” she cautioned.
“If you have enough courage, amend the Constitution first before taking any such move like forcible conversion,” she said.
“Nobody is empowered by any authority to kill others in the interest of his/her own comfort. I am observing that recently attempts are being made to pit one religion against other to create confrontation,” she alleged.
Banerjee said that the budgetary allocation by her government for the minority affairs and madrasah education department has increased to Rs 1,737 crore from only Rs 472 crore during the erstwhile Left Front government.
While 15 bhavans have already come up for the minorities, five more will come up shortly, she said adding, “94.5 per cent minorities in the state have already been brought under OBC reservation quota.”
On the occasion, the chief minister also distributed grants among representatives of madrasahs, MSKs and SSKs in minority areas.