On Monday (15th April), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee courted another controversy for making ‘Gaumutra’ and ‘Gobar’ jibes while targeting rival party, BJP. Notably, the TMC Supremo alleged that if the BJP comes to power it will be threat to democracy. She claimed that it was necessary to oust the BJP from power to save democracy.
Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar, Banerjee alleged that the BJP (after coming to power) will dictate people’s eating and sleeping habits in a bid to cast the BJP government as a threat to the freedom of individuals.
She said, “If you want to protect the country’s independence, then remove the BJP (from power), only then the country will remain independent. If this party wins the upcoming elections, there will be no elections in the country in future. This is an autocratic government. They want one leader, one nation, one ‘Bhashan’, one ‘bhojan’ in the country.”
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "If you want to protect the country's independence, then remove the BJP (from power), only then the country will remain independent. If this party wins the upcoming elections, there will be no elections in the country in future. This is an… pic.twitter.com/v5W5QJJ6Bm
— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2024
Making hinduphobic jibes, she brazened it out saying, “They (BJP) will decide what you will eat. They will ask you to drink ‘gaumutra’ (cow urine) with morning tea and eat ‘gobar’ (cow dung) for lunch. They aim to control every aspect of your life, from what you eat to how you sleep.”
Her remarks comes amid an ongoing row over fish-eating video shared by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav during Navratri. Noting that legally they are free to eat whatever they want to eat, senior BJP leaders including PM Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slammed the opposition leader for making a show out of it. They charged Tejashwi Yadav of hurting the sentiments of Hindus during Navratri for “appeasement politics”.
Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Jamui on 14th April, he launched a scathing attack against Tejashwi for his fish-eating video.
He said, “You are eating fish during Navratri. What message do you want to send? You eat whatever you want, fish, pig, pigeon, elephant or horse. What is the need to show? This is only for votes, for appeasement politics. They think people of a particular religion will vote for them because of this. Lalu ji, I request you to handle such people.” He reiterated the same in his election rally in Banka.
Hinduphobic Gaumutra and Gobar jibes
Earlier, TMC MP Mahua Moitra had also spoken the language of Islamists and mocked the BJP government by making the ‘gaumutra’ remark before addressing the Parliament in February 2022.
Am speaking this evening in Lok Sabha on President’s Address.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 3, 2022
Just wanted to give early heads up to @BJP to get heckler team ready & read up on imaginary points of order. Drink some gaumutra shots too.
It is worth noting that the ‘Gaumutra’ jibe has been used by Islamists and their apologists as a racist, derogatory slur against Hindus. The Pulwama terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar had also said that he killed the CRPF soldiers to kill those who ‘drink cow urine’, to mock Indians, especially Hindus.
In 2019, a Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist in a suicide attack had killed as many as 40 CRPF soldiers in Pulwama. Following the attack, a video was released in which the terrorist Ahmed Dhar could be heard saying he wanted to punish and kill the ‘cow urine drinkers’ in the name of Allah.
However, this is not the first time that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has made headlines for making Hinduphobic jibes. Earlier, on the day when nation marked celebrations of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, she made kafir (infidel) jibe.
In her address at Circus Maidan during ‘Sarv Dharm Sambhav’ rally, she said, “Jo Kafir hain, woh darte hain, Jo ladte hain, woh jeet te hain.” She also threatened voters and BJP supporters to part ways with it and said, “I am swearing on Allah if you assist the BJP, nobody will forgive you”.
"Jo Kafir hain, woh darte hain"
— Ankur Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@iAnkurSingh) January 22, 2024
"Jo ladte hain, woh jeet te hain"
How Mamata Banerjee is inciting Muslims after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. pic.twitter.com/1CxFT9mybK
Needless to say, Kafir is a pejorative jibe used by Islamists to refer to anyone who doesn’t believe in Islam.
TMC Supremo fearmongers about “riots” on Ram Navami to be marked on 17th April
Meanwhile, in her today’s rally in Cooch Behar, she fearmongered about “impending riots” alleging that the blame will be on BJP for the same. She went further to claim that 17th April will be the date of rioting alleging that the BJP would try to incite violence and riots on the occasion of Ram Navami.
The TMC Supremo said, “They have infiltrated our law enforcement agencies with their saffron ideology. Their agenda is to perpetuate conflict and chaos. I urge everyone to maintain peace and unity. Let us not play into their hands. Instead, let us observe the day as a symbol of harmony and solidarity.”
She also blamed the Election Commission for transferring West Bengal police officer indicating that this could trigger violence and riots in the state.
She warned, “Even today, just based on BJP’s instructions, the DIG of Murshidabad was changed. Now, if there are riots in Murshidabad and Malda, the responsibility will lie with the Election Commission. The BJP wanted to change the police officers to trigger riots and violence. If there is even one riot, the ECI will be responsible as they are looking after law and order here.”
The Trinamool Supremo added that she would conduct a hunger strike outside the EC office for 55 days if needed.
Earlier on 7th April, she had alleged the same fear of ‘rioting” alleging that BJP will “riot” two days before the first phase of Lok Sabha voting on 19th April in the state. She had further alleged that the BJP would “riot” by sending the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Meanwhile, voting will be underway for 42 seats of West Bengal in all seven phases from 19th April to 1st June in the wake of large scale political violence that had marred previous elections in the state.
