New Delhi: The official Twitter handle of BJP Bengal on Sunday shared a clip of Mamata Bannerjee reciting Islamic prayer at an event, questioning if she can recite Islamic prayer, why does she have a problem being greeted with Jai Shree Ram.

The party also questioned if this was an appeasement to Muslims. It shared the 12-second long video with the caption “If CM Mamata Banerjee can recite an Islamic prayer at a West Bengal government event, why does she have a problem being greeted with Jai Shree Ram? Appeasement? She disgraced Bengal and insulted Netaji’s legacy by her conduct at the event to commemorate Netaji’s anniversary”.

Banerjee can be heard saying in Bengali, “We pray to Allah that he keeps everyone well,” followed by the Islamic verse, “La illaha illallah, Mohammed ur Rasul Allah.” In the video.

BJP’s allegation was soon reported by Times Now and Zee News Ghanta also aired a similar broadcast over the issue. It was also amplified by BJP leaders Priti Gandhi, Manoj Kotak, and Akshay Singh. Shefali Vaidya also shared the video.

Upon investigation, it turned out that Mamata Banerjee had chanted Islamic verses but the video tweeted by BJP was clipped out of a much longer video that was posted by AITC in January 2018. The video is of the inauguration of Mati Utsav which the CM was inaugurating and had recited prayers of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

At 21:28 minutes, she prays to Hindu deity Durga to bring prosperity in everybody’s lives and goes on to chant, “Sarva Mangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike Sharanye Tryambake Gauri Narayani Namostute…” This is followed by Islamic prayers (22:00 minutes) that could be heard in the clipped video. At 21:15 minutes, she says, “May God bless all,” which is followed by the Sikh chants of “Wahe Guru Ji Da Khalsa, Wahe Guru Di Fateh.” In the end, she can says, “Saare jahan se acha Hindustan humara.”

BJP Bengal, therefore, tweeted a clipped video of Mamata Banerjee to portray her as a ‘Muslim sympathiser’.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Ahmedabad, Apr 25: The Gujarat Congress on Friday suspended from the party for six years its Surat Lok Sabha candidate Nilesh Kumbhani, whose nomination form was rejected over discrepancies leading to the BJP's Mukesh Dalal getting elected unopposed.

A statement from the Congress said the party's disciplinary committee decided to suspend Kumbhani after thorough discussion, adding it had come to the conclusion that the nomination form was rejected due to gross negligence on his part or "in connivance with the BJP".

"To be fair to you we have given time to you to explain your case but instead of coming before the party disciplinary committee you have gone incommunicado. After your form was rejected by the authorities, BJP went ahead and got form of other eight candidates withdrawn. This has deprived people of Surat their voting rights," the Congress disciplinary committee headed by Balu Patel said.

"People of Surat and party workers have become very angry due to your action and are expressing their anger in different ways. The Congress party has decided to suspend you for six years from the party," the press note said.

Kumbhani's nomination form was rejected on April 21 after his three proposers submitted affidavits to the district returning officer claiming the signatures on the document was not theirs.

The nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress' substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated on the same grounds.

In his order, Returning Officer Sourabh Pardhi said the three nomination forms submitted by Kumbhani and Padsala were rejected after prima facie discrepancy was found in the signatures of the proposers and they did not appear to be genuine.

Kumbhani, a former corporator from Surat, had unsuccessfully fought the 2022 Assembly polls from Kamrej there.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed from Surat Lok Sabha constituency on April 22 after all other nominees, including one from BSP, withdrew from the fray one by one on the last day of withdrawing papers.