Mamata politicises PM Modi's Ganga dip; avers 'don't need character certificate from BJP'

Addressing a gathering in poll-bound Goa, WB CM Mamata Banerjee politicised PM Modi taking a holy dip in Ganga during his visit to Varanasi on Monday. Referring to the PM's Varanasi tour where he inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Dham and his offering prayers at the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand, Banerjee contended that these visits were linked to the upcoming round of Assembly elections. On this occasion, the TMC supremo also took a swipe at BJP over its "minority appeasement" charge and asserted that she didn't require a character certificate from the saffron party.

Mamata Banerjee remarked, "First BJP should explain then they take a dip in Ganga when there is an election. When there is an election, he goes and sits inside a temple in Uttarakhand. When COVID-19 deaths happen, the bodies are dumped in the same Ganga. People are not even allowed to cremate (their dear ones)." 

She added, "Will BJP certify whether I am a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian? Who are you? My father and mother named me. It is as per tradition. I feel ashamed to say if you ask whether I am a Hindu, Muslim, Brahmin and Adivasi. I am a human being. I also belong to a Brahmin family. I am also a Brahmin. That's why I don't need a character certificate from BJP". TMC is seeking to make inroads in the Goa polls due early next year and has forged an alliance with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. 

PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath Dham project

On Monday, PM Modi reached Varanasi and started his day by offering his prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple. Thereafter, he took a cruise boat from the Khirkiya Ghat to the Lalita Ghat to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple and also took a holy dip in the Ganges. Later, he inaugurated Phase 1 of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project constructed at a cost of Rs.399 crore. The project which is now spread over to nearly 5 lakh square feet creates an easily accessible pathway to connect the temple to the banks of river Ganga.

On the second day of his Varanasi visit, the PM participated in the conclave attended by BJP chief JP Nadda, Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with Deputy CMs from Bihar and Nagaland. They shared different good governance practices from their respective states. Later in the day, the PM attended the 98th-anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan at Swarved Mahamandir.