In what could lead to a bitter political war of words, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has described the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as 'worshipper' of Ravana (the demon king) and not Lord Ram.
"They (the BJP) perform puja of Ravana and not Ram, they try to spread differences among people," Mamata said addressing a rally in West Bengal's Jamboni on Monday (November 26).
In an apparent dig at recent events in Ayodhya, where thousands of VHP, RSS, Shiv Sena workers gathered to push for construction of a grand Ram temple, Mamata accused the ruling party of dividing people in the name of Lord Ram.
Also Read: Dharam Sabha in Ayodhya: VHP raises Ram Temple issue, says decision to be made by PM Modi after Dec 11
"They talk of Ram, we pray before Goddess Durga; Lord Ram also performed Durga Puja. We don't sell the name of god to earn votes," Mamata said.
The CM said her party follows the tenets of 'Sarva Dharma' - accommodating all religions and not differentiating people on the basis of faith.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said in Nagpur the time for patience was over and a law should be brought to facilitate the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh if the matter was not a priority for the apex court.
Thousands of devotees had thronged the temple town of Ayodhya on Sunday to attend VHP's marathon 'Dharam Sabha' for discussing construction of the temple there, with a senior religious leader asserting the dates for the same would be announced early next year.
WATCH: BJP worships Ravana, not Ram, says Mamata
(With inputs from PTI)
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