<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>CPM Minister says he is a Hindu First, before a communist.</span>
Haldia, West Bengal. Just two days after he publicly worshipped in a Kali temple, CPM minister in WB govt Subhas Chakraborty has again embarrassed his party. He has been reported saying he is a Hindu first, then a Brahmin, before being a communist.
âGiven my name, wherever I go in India, I am first a Hindu and then a Brahmin. This is the truth, how can I deny it?â the transport minister said, glowing in the light of the controversy he has created with his visit to Tarapeeth yesterday where he offered flowers and donation.
He has also appealed the workers in Transportation department of WB to celebrate the upcoming Vishwakarma Puja in proper ways.
http://us.jagran.com/newssite/details.asp?...04853&lpageno=1
Also:
<span style='color:red'>BJP hails âHinduâ Communist minister, who reveals true self after obeisance to Kali </span>
A STAFF REPORTER
Calcutta, Sept. 15: A day after offering puja to the goddess Kali, CPM minister Subhas Chakraborty almost said heâs a Hindu first, then a Brahmin, and mentioned nothing about being a communist, immediately provoking the BJP to roll out the welcome mat if he wanted to join.
âGiven my name, wherever I go in India, I am first a Hindu and then a Brahmin. This is the truth, how can I deny it?â the transport minister said, glowing in the light of the controversy he has created with his visit to Tarapeeth yesterday where he offered flowers and a donation of Rs 501.
Bengal BJP president Tathagata Roy, highly impressed with the CPM leaderâs change of heart if it can be called that, said: âNow that heâs clearly jettisoned Marxism and established his credentials, heâs welcome to apply to join the BJP. Weâll consider his case.â
Chakraborty could not be contacted to check if he might now want to join the BJP but, back in Calcutta today, he continued in the vein of a Kalibhakt â well, by a small stretch of imagination.
Chakraborty said he had committed no wrong by visiting the Tarapeeth temple, though even <span style='color:blue'>his proclaimed mentor Jyoti Basu had expressed amazement at the act.
Even today Basu was dismissive. âWhom does he see and worship? Does she exist at all? It would be better if he worshipped mankind,â he said.</span>
Talking of worship, Chakraborty said Basu was the equivalent of God to him. On this occasion, however, he didnât seem too pleased with God. Thatâs no surprise.
Which believer can claim never to have been displeased by an action or, usually, inaction of God?
When told Basu disapproved of his Tarapeeth visit, Chakraborty shot back: âPeople neednât always agree on all counts. Jyotibabu himself had visited a gurdwara with his head covered after Indira Gandhiâs assassination.â
Although this wasnât aimed at anyone in particular, he said: âIâve been to all famous temples and mosques in India, those who criticise me now have themselves done the same on the sly.â
There might be some truth in that, though communists are supposed to be atheists.
Chakraborty said he had visited Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineshwar. âI see no harm in this. I donât think this violates any principle of Marxism.â
Although CPM state secretariat member Benoy Konar said Chakraborty would have to decide first whether he is a theologist or a Marxist â though he need not be one or the other since South America already has a history of priests practising religion with Marxism â the BJP was elated.
Tathagata Roy said: âSubhasbabu is a realist. He has finally understood that Marxism belongs to the realm of history, while Hindutva was always there and will continue to remain. At last, heâs hit upon the real thing.â
Chakraborty has gone far with his newly expressed opinion on religion, but he claimed that he did not perform puja at Tarapeeth.
âI was given flowers. Should I have thrown them away? Even if someone offers puja, whatâs wrong? Millions of people frequent the Tarapeeth temple.â
The minister was photographed offering puja with hands folded, garlanding the idol, offering it a zari-lined sari and chanting âJoy Ma Taraâ.
Chakraborty believes communists have alienated themselves from Indian culture and tradition â Sangh boss R.S. Sudarshan would love this.
Uncomfortable with the lal salaam he has been flashing since his student days, Chakraborty said: âI prefer the namaskar and pranam.â Prakash Karat, the CPM boss, is not going to love this.
âWe havenât been able to make ourselves acceptable everywhere. How else can you justify that only three states with an 11-crore population are communist-ruled in a country of over 100 crore?â Chakraborty wondered.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060916/asp/...ory_6753487.asp
Haldia, West Bengal. Just two days after he publicly worshipped in a Kali temple, CPM minister in WB govt Subhas Chakraborty has again embarrassed his party. He has been reported saying he is a Hindu first, then a Brahmin, before being a communist.
âGiven my name, wherever I go in India, I am first a Hindu and then a Brahmin. This is the truth, how can I deny it?â the transport minister said, glowing in the light of the controversy he has created with his visit to Tarapeeth yesterday where he offered flowers and donation.
He has also appealed the workers in Transportation department of WB to celebrate the upcoming Vishwakarma Puja in proper ways.
http://us.jagran.com/newssite/details.asp?...04853&lpageno=1
Also:
<span style='color:red'>BJP hails âHinduâ Communist minister, who reveals true self after obeisance to Kali </span>
A STAFF REPORTER
Calcutta, Sept. 15: A day after offering puja to the goddess Kali, CPM minister Subhas Chakraborty almost said heâs a Hindu first, then a Brahmin, and mentioned nothing about being a communist, immediately provoking the BJP to roll out the welcome mat if he wanted to join.
âGiven my name, wherever I go in India, I am first a Hindu and then a Brahmin. This is the truth, how can I deny it?â the transport minister said, glowing in the light of the controversy he has created with his visit to Tarapeeth yesterday where he offered flowers and a donation of Rs 501.
Bengal BJP president Tathagata Roy, highly impressed with the CPM leaderâs change of heart if it can be called that, said: âNow that heâs clearly jettisoned Marxism and established his credentials, heâs welcome to apply to join the BJP. Weâll consider his case.â
Chakraborty could not be contacted to check if he might now want to join the BJP but, back in Calcutta today, he continued in the vein of a Kalibhakt â well, by a small stretch of imagination.
Chakraborty said he had committed no wrong by visiting the Tarapeeth temple, though even <span style='color:blue'>his proclaimed mentor Jyoti Basu had expressed amazement at the act.
Even today Basu was dismissive. âWhom does he see and worship? Does she exist at all? It would be better if he worshipped mankind,â he said.</span>
Talking of worship, Chakraborty said Basu was the equivalent of God to him. On this occasion, however, he didnât seem too pleased with God. Thatâs no surprise.
Which believer can claim never to have been displeased by an action or, usually, inaction of God?
When told Basu disapproved of his Tarapeeth visit, Chakraborty shot back: âPeople neednât always agree on all counts. Jyotibabu himself had visited a gurdwara with his head covered after Indira Gandhiâs assassination.â
Although this wasnât aimed at anyone in particular, he said: âIâve been to all famous temples and mosques in India, those who criticise me now have themselves done the same on the sly.â
There might be some truth in that, though communists are supposed to be atheists.
Chakraborty said he had visited Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineshwar. âI see no harm in this. I donât think this violates any principle of Marxism.â
Although CPM state secretariat member Benoy Konar said Chakraborty would have to decide first whether he is a theologist or a Marxist â though he need not be one or the other since South America already has a history of priests practising religion with Marxism â the BJP was elated.
Tathagata Roy said: âSubhasbabu is a realist. He has finally understood that Marxism belongs to the realm of history, while Hindutva was always there and will continue to remain. At last, heâs hit upon the real thing.â
Chakraborty has gone far with his newly expressed opinion on religion, but he claimed that he did not perform puja at Tarapeeth.
âI was given flowers. Should I have thrown them away? Even if someone offers puja, whatâs wrong? Millions of people frequent the Tarapeeth temple.â
The minister was photographed offering puja with hands folded, garlanding the idol, offering it a zari-lined sari and chanting âJoy Ma Taraâ.
Chakraborty believes communists have alienated themselves from Indian culture and tradition â Sangh boss R.S. Sudarshan would love this.
Uncomfortable with the lal salaam he has been flashing since his student days, Chakraborty said: âI prefer the namaskar and pranam.â Prakash Karat, the CPM boss, is not going to love this.
âWe havenât been able to make ourselves acceptable everywhere. How else can you justify that only three states with an 11-crore population are communist-ruled in a country of over 100 crore?â Chakraborty wondered.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060916/asp/...ory_6753487.asp