Mamata Banerjee calls for massive rally at Kolkata Brigade on March 10

KOLKATA: On Wednesday, the same day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally at Barasat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for a huge rally at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on March 10. In a social media post, Banerjee said that the "Bohiragoto Jomidars" (foreign landlords), implying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), should not take Bengal's patience and courtesy for its weakness.

"Bengal's patience & courtesy should NOT be mistaken for its weakness. The Bohiragoto Jomidars must be reminded of this on March 10. The #JonogorjonSabha at Brigade Ground this Sunday will be a historic event on the land that has always fought for its rights. Join us as we lead the people's movement for Bengal's secure future. Bengal will show the way," the Chief Minister said in a post on 'X'.

Banerjee also shared a video message along with his post in which she is heard appealing to people of the state to gather at the Brigade Parade Ground in large numbers. Banerjee said, "We will be protesting against the way Bengal and its people are being deprived by stopping funds for road construction, construction of houses, 100-day work, health programs and several other schemes. They are trying to create a disturbed environment in Bengal which is opposed to the Bengali ethos."

The chief minister pointed out that people in Bengal do not discriminate on the basis of religion and accept people from multiple cultures. "Bengal is the cultural capital of India and it shows respect to all cultures. We say that though people may have individual faiths, the festivities surrounding them are for everyone to share. We do not discriminate among ourselves. We cannot accept how they are conspiring to divide Bengal and finish off Bengali culture," the Chief Minister said.

"I love all cultures, whether Hindu, Budhhism, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Muslims and Chirstians. We love everyone. We treat everyone as one amongst us. But if you are humiliating Bengal, it means you are humiliating those who are staying here," she added. Banerjee said that just like Bengal has shown India the way forward during the freedom struggle it will also do the same. "Bengal has shown the way to freedom struggle, to India's renaissance. Bengal has contributed in taking the country forward. There is a conspiracy to shred up this Bengali consciousness to pieces. Let us unite against this conspiracy for one day," the Chief Minister said.