It will be better for me to die than prove my religion: Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata, Aug 13: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said that she would rather die than prove her religion and challenged BJP to compare the religious activities undertaken by the TMC government to that by the previous regimes in the state.
She asserted that more number of Durga pujas are being held in the state under TMC rule than under previous governments.
Inaugurating a museum on the 15th century Bengali mystic and saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the TMC supremo said she is a Hindu but has respect for other faiths and religions too.
Without naming the BJP, Banerjee said "It would be better for me to die rather than prove my religion before entering a Hindu temple. You(BJP) are no one that I have to prove my religion before you".
Her veiled attack on BJP took place on the day her party, the TMC staged a day-long dharna here in protest against the Centre's decision to serve IT notices to Durga puja committees.
"I know more Sanskrit scriptures than those who criticise me and question my religious identity. I am a Hindu and I respect all faiths. I don't believe in dividing people on the basis of religion. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu too had said the same thing," she said.
The BJP has time and again accused her of appeasing the Muslim community of the state to secure the minority votes.
Referring to BJP's allegations that Durga Puja is being curtailed in the state by the Trinamool Congress government, she said the saffron party should first look into the work it has done since it came to power at the Centre.
"More Durga Pujas are being held in the state under the TMC rule than during the previous regimes. Before lecturing us they (BJP) should look into the work they have done after coming to power," Banerjee said.
"I challenge them (BJP) to compare the number of religious work that our eight-year-old government has done and that by the previous regimes. We believe in humanity and religion means humanity. It teaches us to love and respect every human being. Religion does not teach us to divide the people," she said.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached love and peace and was assaulted. "So was social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy. But they were undeterred," she added.
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Man chased, brutally stabbed inside public toilet in northwest Delhi; one arrested; juvenile held
New Delhi (PTI): An alleged road rage incident took a fatal turn when a 27-year-old factory worker was chased down by assailants and stabbed multiple times inside a public toilet in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar area, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday night, when witnesses saw the victim, Santosh Kumar, running into a public toilet in a desperate bid to save his life, with his attackers hot on his heels.
"A PCR call was received at 6:23 pm on April 8 regarding a man being stabbed inside the compound of a Sulabh Sauchalaya located at the fish market in Wazirpur Industrial Area," a senior police officer said.
A police team rushed to the spot and found the victim lying in a pool of blood inside the toilet premises. The victim, originally from Nepal, was residing in Macchi Market area, the official said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the incident stemmed from an altercation between the victim and a motorcycle rider. The verbal spat soon escalated into a physical scuffle, during which the accused, along with an associate, allegedly attacked Santosh with a knife.
Police sources said in a desperate attempt to save himself, the injured victim ran towards the nearby public toilet and tried to latch the door from inside. Eyewitness accounts suggest he tried to take refuge inside the public toilet and shut the door to prevent his attackers from entering. However, he was chased down, overpowered, and stabbed multiple times.
Santosh collapsed on the spot, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.
A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intentions) was registered at Ashok Vihar police station and an investigation was taken up.
During the probe, police arrested one accused identified as Tanish (19), a resident of CSA Colony in Macchi Market area, and apprehended a juvenile allegedly involved in the incident.
Police said the motorcycle used by the accused, which they had abandoned while fleeing after the attack, was recovered near the crime scene.
Family members and acquaintances of the deceased expressed shock over the killing. Santosh's uncle, who reached the spot after being informed, recounted the scene.
"When I came here, I saw him lying on the floor, dead. I noticed that he had been stabbed twice. I am not aware of what exactly happened. He was just 27 years old and used to work in a steel company with me. I don't know how many people were involved in the attack. We are from Nepal, and I have been working here for 15 years. I think he was stabbed outside and later came inside the toilet to save himself. There was a bike outside which I think belonged to the attackers," he said.
Police said the motive behind the crime appears to be road rage -- a sudden and heated altercation on the road that spiralled into a violent assault resulting in the victim's death.
Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend any other persons involved in the attack. Police teams are analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area and examining local witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
