Mamata Banerjee slams Opposition for instigating violence

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday criticised opposition parties for allegedly "trying to disturb" peaceful atmosphere in the state by "instigating violence" and said her government would not allow division of people along religious lines.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday criticised opposition parties for allegedly "trying to disturb" peaceful atmosphere in the state by "instigating violence" and said her government would not allow division of people along religious lines.

"As long as I am alive and my government is there, I will not allow division of people based on religious lines. We are not in favour of those who conduct riots. We respect all religions," Mamata told the Assembly while replying to questions on the Home Department budget.

"We have to understand that goons and anti-socials can't be an asset to any political party. What kind of politics is this where political leaders themselves are asking their party cadres to explode bombs and guns? This is not at all acceptable in democracy," Banerjee observed.

Banerjee also criticised a section of the media for spreading blatant lies by morphing video footages.

"A few days ago I saw video footages where it was shown that in Birbhum goons were wearing all kinds of warm clothes and carrying guns. Then it struck me that the weather there is too hot...You can't even have a shirt on your back," she said.

"...Then it came to my knowledge that it (footage) is a very old footage which was passed off as a recent fight in Birbhum," Banerjee added.

On the May 6 Pingla blast, Banerjee said that the CID was doing a good job in the investigation and that the Opposition was trying to score brownie points.

"The CID is investigating the case. We are not like the Left who influenced CID investigation. It was a blast in a fireworks factory and the police is looking into whether something illegal happened. There are people who might be involved in anti-social activity, but the administration is taking action," Banerjee said.

She lauded the CID for arresting the culprits in the Ranaghat Nun gang-rape case.

Meanwhile, the Left Front legislators today staged a

walkout in the Assembly as the chief minister started making her speech.

"They don't have the patience to hear what I am saying. Because they don't have the guts to hear the truth," Banerjee said.

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