Ram Mandir: Mamata Banerjee said India had "always upheld" the age-old legacy of unity in diversity.
Mamata Banerjee tweeted a message of communal harmony and unity in diversity on the day of the mega Ram temple "Bhoomi Pujan" at Ayodhya. The Bengal Chief Minister said the country had "always upheld" the age-old legacy of unity in diversity and it must be preserved.
"Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isaai aapas mein hain Bhai Bhai! Mera Bharat Mahaan, Mahaan Hamara Hindustan. Our country has always upheld the age-old legacy of unity in diversity, and we must preserve this to our last breath!" - Mamata Banerjee tweeted, without referring to Ayodhya or the Ram temple, hours before the grand ceremony at Ayodhya featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying a silver brick to mark the symbolic start of the Ram temple construction.
The Bengal Chief Minister and her Trinamool Congress have always kept a cautious stand on the Ram Temple movement.
During the campaign for the national election last year, Ms Banerjee had reacted furiously to slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" shouted at her in public places by the BJP. She was advised to change her strategy and not react.
Mr Banerjee did not comment on the Supreme Court judgement in November handing over the 2.77 acre land claimed by both Hindus and Muslims for the building of a Ram temple.
The Bengal government's decision to keep a lockdown today, the first of seven hard shutdown days in August to fight the spread of coronavirus, has drawn sharp protests from the BJP and set up a new confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition in the intense run-up to elections next year.
The BJP had demanded that the state government change the date for the mega ceremony at Ayodhya. The Chief Minister and the government did not respond, though the dates were changed at least three times in the past week.
The police are out across the state to ensure that the lockdown is maintained. The BJP said they would not hold any public celebration of the Ram Mandir event but warned that the Trinamool Congress would pay the price. Some token events will be held at the homes of BJP leaders around noon. Governor Jagdish Dhankhar too has said he will light Diyas in the Raj Bhavan.
There were reports of a celebratory procession and fireworks in Howrah at 3 am. It was over by 5.30 am without incident.