Why Jesus Christ's birthday not national holiday?: Mamata Banerjee slams BJP on secularism

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hit out at the BJP-led government at the Centre saying it is only bent on dividing the country and has cancelled public holidays on festivals like Christmas. Inaugurating the Christmas celebrations at Allen Park in the city's downtown Park Street area, the TMC supremo condemned the "politics of hatred" pursued by the Narendra Modi government.

'What harm have Christians done?': Mamata Banerjee

"Last year and earlier also I said, Why Jesus Christ's birthday will not be declared as a national holiday? You tell me it was there earlier. Why has the BJP government withdrawn that? Everybody has sentiments. What harm have Christians done? This festival is celebrated throughout the world. This time yes there are some problems due to COVID-19 pandemic. We have to wear masks and maintain social distancing," news agency ANI quoted Banerjee as saying. 

"Is there secularism in India? I am sorry to say, a typical religious hatred politics is going on. I want to condemn this today," she said. Christmas is a gazetted holiday, as per the National Portal of India, the news agency further said. Stating that Christmas is a festival for all, Banerjee said, "In West Bengal, we celebrate Christmas, Durga Puja and Eid with equal gusto."

'BJP speaking garbage of lies'

Continuing her attack against BJP, she said, "We all love and respect our Constitution but the government in Delhi has no respect for constitutional norms and values." Without naming BJP,  Banerjee charged the party of spreading "a garbage of lies" about West Bengal's development.

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"Why are you speaking garbage of lies to people. Tell the truth. Acknowledge the fact that we (West Bengal) stand first in the MSME sector. We are front runners in various social sectors. Our Kanyashree and Sabooj Sathi schemes have earned universal acclaim," she said.

Kanyashree Prakalpa is an initiative taken by the West Bengal government to improve the life and status of girls by helping economically backward families with cash, while Sabooj Sathi is a scheme for providing bicycles to students. "Some people coming from Delhi are jealous and they keep spreading falsehoods," she said in an apparent reference to BJP national-level leaders flaying the state's performance in several sectors including employment.

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(With agency inputs)