Didi will not be with you if you indulge in riots, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA/SUTI: “Didi will not be with you if you indulge in rioting and vandalism,” CM Mamata Banerjee warned on Tuesday in Murshidabad, where violence following an anti-waqf law protest left three people dead on April 12. Accusing BJP of triggering the communal strife, the CM also asked “mothers and sisters” to form the bulwark against riots and rioters.“If you promise you will not participate in riots, whatever the provocation, then Didi will always be with you. But if you do, even if everyone else stays with you, Didi will not,” Banerjee said at a public distribution programme in Suti. Shortly before the event, she had met families affected by violence at the Shamsherganj BDO office.In an emotional appeal, Banerjee said, “Do not divide people on the basis of religion. If you do so, remove my heart first. I do not want to witness riots. I am against riots. The rioters were brought to the state from outside so that you fall for their provocation.” She went on to remind people that Murshidabad had not allowed riots even when the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.She added, “I follow only one religion, that is humanity. Maa-Mati-Manush is my gotra. I mention it whenever I offer puja. Even at Jagannath Dham, when I was asked about my gotra, I said Maa-Mati-Manush. I want blessings from temples, mosque, and churches to reach everyone. I love all religions.”Exhorting people to rise up again violence, the CM said, “Speak up, mothers, sisters, farmers and students. Say, we will not allow riots. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians must live together as brothers.”Remember that when you donate blood, it reaches the blood bank without any label. Thus, a Hindu’s blood can save a Muslim and a Muslim’s blood can save a Christian. Blood should be used to save lives, not to spill,” she said, raising a slogan, “Danga noye, shanti chai. Dhongsho noye sristi chai (We want peace not conflict, creation not destruction). The amended waqf law that led to the violence in Shamsherganj and Suti, figured twice in Banerjee’s speech. “The Centre makes law, we do not have a hand in it. Despite our opposition, they went ahead with it. But as long as I am with you in Bengal, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Sikh nor Christian nor farmer nor worker nor brother nor sister will be harmed. We are one family,” she said. Towards the end of the 51-minute speech, she again iterated that anti-waqf law protesters should go to Delhi. “The matter is sub judice and we are among the petitioners against it. Did we not stop CAA by hitting the streets?” the CM asked.Banerjeesaid she along with senior officials had met 400 violence-affected families, and 280 of them were given cheques of Rs 1.2 lakh each on Tuesday. The others would receive term loans while Scheduled Caste victims would receive assistance from the SC Commission and minorities and OBCs from the Minority Commission.