Mandir Bazar/ Kolkata, May 16 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said they have enough resources to rebuild statue of Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to install a statue of the 18th century reformer inside Vidyasagar
College where his bust was vandalized during clashes between TMC and BJP while Amit Shah maiden road show in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Mr Modi in an electioneering at in Uttar Pradesh assured that his government was committed towards Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's vision and promised to install his grand statue at the same spot in Kolkata where it was vandalised by "TMC goondas."
Retorting to PM's version, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee while blaming the BJP for vandalisation of the bust, told an electioneering at Mandir Bazar that they did not want money from BJP as they have enough resources to rebuild the statue there.
" Vandalising the statue of Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar may not be viewed as an isolated incident. Incidence of vandalism of statues is not a new phenomenon for BJP," said Ms Banerjee.
They vandalised age old statues in Tripura immediately after coming to power in 2018. It was a planned operation in Tripura where bull-dozers were brought by BJP. This was public property built with govt funds, she added.
" A statue of B R Ambedkar, founding father of Indian Constitution and a legendary leader of the backward classes, was vandalised in Meerut (UP) again under BJP rule in March last year, " the Trinamool Congress chief said in her Facebook account.
The Periyar statue in Vellore was suspected to be broken by a worker of the same party (BJP), she maintained.
" This serious matter on demolition of statue was raised in Parliament in March, 2018. Following the embarassment, the Home Ministry of present government at the centre had to issue two advisories to all states for taking preventive measures." Ms Banerjee said.
" All India Trinamool Congress believes in conserving the rich cultural and historical heritage of our Bengal. It is totally against the hate philosophy of Modi and Amit Shah."
" Entire Bengal is hurt by the act of vandalising the statue of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar by outside goons of BJP. Vidyasagar is a great reformer, philosopher, educationist of Bengal whose name is remembered with great dignity and honour everywhere.
" People of Bengal condemns this henious act of vandalism by BJP goons.
UNI PC AKM