State-owned auditorium cancels Bhagwat programme booking: RSS

NEW DELHI: The slugfest between saffron organisations and the West Bengal government turned bitter on Tuesday after a state-owned auditorium in Kolkata cancelled the booking for a programme in which RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was to be present as chief guest.“To take vengeance on RSS, Mamata Banerjee cancelled the event of Sister Nivedita Mission Trust , which is working among poor and destitute women,” RSS media coordinator Manmohan Vaidya said. The RSS functionary alleged that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had done so to “appease jihadi elements”. “Mamata’s knee-jerk responses are to appease jihadi elements who have infiltrated the state, upon which she built her political base,” Vaidya said.Vaidya’s “knee jerk responses” reference also hints at the anger of saffron outfits over the West Bengal government’s decision banning immersion of Durga idols on September 30 and October 1 as it coincided with Muharram processions. West Bengal’s action comes close on the heels of Kerala government’s bid to ban Bhagwat from unfurling the national flag at a school on Independence Day. Despite the state government denying permission, Bhagwat went on to unfurl the national flag. Union minister and Asansol MP Babul Supriyo said, “Mamata Banerjee is obsessed with the 27% minority vote bank. She is doing appeasement of very low level. She should be ashamed of her act.”