Not riots, it was deliberate violence by outsiders: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

DIGHA: Bengal is witnessing not riots but violence deliberately perpetrated by criminals from outside the state, CM Mamata Banerjee has said. Banerjee's statement in Digha, at a meeting of party workers, came hours after Howrah cops arrested a 19-year-old from Bihar's Munger who was seen dancing with a gun at a Ram Navami procession before the violence started in Howrah's Shibpur last week.
"The images of the youth you saw on television screens, the youth who was dancing with a gun at a Ram Navami procession... I want to know whether Lord Ram whispered in his ears: 'I want you to attend the procession with guns. And aim your guns (at people)'," she added.
Banerjee, taking a dig at Union home minister Amit Shah's statement that rioters would be hung upside down if the BJP came to office in Bihar, said: "Charity begins at home.
Start with hanging your own people upside down. First see yourself in the mirror and then speak about others." The statement was like asking thieves to steal while at the same time urging households to remain alert, she added.
"Why don't you act now? The riots are being done by the BJP, they are being done by the Bajrang Dal, they are being done by people linked to the BJP," she said. "I have to stay alert all the time lest the BJP incite riots," Banerjee added.
Saying the violence was being perpetrated by people linked to the BJP, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: "The moment peace returned to Howrah, they went dancing to Rishra. You have seen Ram Navami. We did not stop anyone from taking out processions.
But they are bringing petrol bombs for rallies, even guns. They do not have police permission. They burn down shops, homes. Have you seen such violence during religious festivals in Bengal: Durga Puja, Eid, Christmas? There is no problem anywhere. But now these false religious people are giving Lord Ram a bad name," Banerjee said.
"Rioting is not Bengal's culture, people here never indulge in rioting," the CM said, adding: "I will also not spare the conspirators and instigators in Bengal either. Do not show CBI-ED, our police will take the strongest possible action."
"I am a Hindu too. But I am Swami Vivekananda's Hindu, Ramakrishna's Hindu. I am Ma Durga's Hindu, a Hindu who respects all religions, a Hindu who respects peace, devotion, power.
But who are they? They want power, only power. And with power they will sell banks, the LIC, our currency and they will sell everything to Adani," she added, accusing rioters of giving a bad reputation to the Hindu religion. "These are gun-wielding religious hypocrites (bok-dharmik) who have no religion," the CM said.