Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], May 27 (ANI): Advocate Rinki Chatterjee Singh, who filed a complaint against former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over alleged “ganda dharma” remarks on Wednesday, said that she made the remarks during her tenure as Chief Minister while wearing hijab and attending Eid prayers at a mosque in Kolkata’s Red Road.
Speaking to ANI, Chatterjee stated that her FIR wasn’t accepted at the cyber branch at first, alleging physical and mental harassment in the matter. She further noted that her complaint was delayed for four days without being registered.
“When she was the Chief Minister, she attended Eid prayers at Red Road, wearing a hijab, and later made remarks about Hinduism as a ‘dirty religion.’ When I went to file an FIR at the cyber branch, it was not accepted. I faced physical and mental harassment, and my complaint was delayed for days without being registered,” Chatterjee said.
She further accused the Trinamool Congress supremo of threatening the Hindu community people during a public rally in Dharamtala ahead of West Bengal elections this year, adding that she felt at risk and feared attacks as an activist and a Hindu. Chatterjee also informed that she has lodged complaints under several sections of the BNS, citing provocation, incitement to violence, and insult to religion.
“Later, before the 2026 Assembly elections, further statements were made at Dharmatala, threatening Hindu voters. I felt personally at risk, both as a Hindu and as an activist, and feared attacks. I lodged complaints under several sections of the BNS, citing provocation, incitement to violence, and insult to religion. Initially, police refused to act, but later my complaint was received and sections applied. I believe freedom of speech has boundaries,” Chatterjee added.
Earlier in March, Senior BJP leader and the then Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, launched an attack on Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of insulting religious sentiments and “weaponising” communal rhetoric during a recent public address.
In a post on X, Adhikari questioned the Chief Minister’s purported use of the phrase “Ganda Dharm” (dirty religion) during an event held at Red Road on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“Which religion were you specifically referring to? Sanatan Hindu Dharma?” Adhikari asked in his post, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson of using “incomprehensible gibberish Urdu dialect” to appease the Muslim community while denigrating another faith.
The BJP leader further alleged that the Chief Minister’s speech was more political than religious, claiming that she mentioned “Danga” (riots) more frequently than the festival itself. (ANI)