Mamata Banerjee Reveals January 22 Agenda Pilgrimage to Kali Temple and All-Faith Rally

Mamata Banerjee Announces January 22 Plans: Kali Temple Visit and All-Faith Rally

In a decisive move, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee broke her silence on the invitation for the Ayodhya consecration ceremony, outlining her plans for January 22. Amidst questions about TMC’s stance on the event, Mamata Banerjee declared that she would be in Kolkata on January 22, where she intends to visit a Kali temple to offer prayers and lead a massive all-religion rally.

Banerjee clarified her position, stating, “Pran Prathistha of Lord Ram is not our job. It is the job of seers and sadhus. What will we do going to Ayodhya? As politicians, our job is to make infrastructure, and I will do that.”

The ‘Sarba Dharma’ rally planned by TMC on January 22 will include participants from all walks of life and religious leaders from various faiths. The rally will traverse different shrines before concluding at Park Circus Maidan, a minority-dominated area in Kolkata.

Mamata Banerjee emphasized the inclusivity of the rally, saying, “Many of you have been asking me about temples. I have nothing to say. I have already said, Dharma jar jar, Utsav sobar (religion is for oneself, festivals for everyone)… Today I want to tell you that, on that day, I will first visit the Kali Mandir, on my own. Then I will do an interfaith rally from Hazra to Park Circus Maidan and hold a meeting there. We will cover mosques, temples, churches, and gurdwaras along the way. Everybody is welcome to join. People of all faiths will be there at the rally.”

The BJP responded, accusing TMC of showing “brazen disregard of Hindu sentiments.” Amit Malviya, the IT cell chief, questioned the decision, claiming it was a “political program” on a day when Hindus would be fasting, observing rituals, and visiting temples. Malviya warned that Mamata Banerjee would be responsible for any untoward incidents on that day.

TMC leaders, however, hailed Mamata’s decision as a “masterstroke.” They emphasized the significance of Mamata Banerjee’s visit to a Kali temple, a move aimed at connecting with the sentiments of the people of Bengal. The ‘Sarba Dharma’ rally was seen as a strong message promoting communal harmony and a response to the BJP’s focus on the Ram Mandir.

While Congress and the CPI(M) had earlier announced their leaders would not attend the Ayodhya consecration ceremony, Mamata Banerjee’s stance had remained ambiguous. TMC leaders had hinted that she was unlikely to go, although no official announcement was made until now.

In preparation for the Ram Temple inauguration, the Bengal BJP has been actively engaging in door-to-door campaigns, distributing invitations and ceremonial rice as part of its ‘Ghar Ghar Yatra’ and ‘Sabka Ram’ program. Additionally, the party has been involved in cleaning temples and distributing diyas to people.

The BJP has called for the celebration of January 22 as ‘Dipavali Utsav.’ Suvendu Adhikari, a senior BJP leader, distributed 1 lakh earthen lamps to 20,000 families in his constituency of Nandigram. The party is set to organize live telecasts of the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony on giant screens in neighborhoods, along with special prayers at temples and Shobha Yatras.

In contrast, the Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist (SUCI) has announced a rally on January 22 against both the BJP’s “Hindutva agenda” and the TMC’s perceived “soft Hindutva.” The political landscape in West Bengal is heating up as parties position themselves on the religious and cultural forefront ahead of significant events like the Ayodhya consecration.