Nusrat Jahan attends ISKCON Rath Yatra with husband, calls for harmony

Pic/Twitter

Bengali actress-turned MP Nusrat Jahan on Thursday attended the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Rath Yatra event in Kolkata along with her husband Nikhil Jain. On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for religious harmony and togetherness on Thursday as she inaugurated the ISKCON Rathyatra festival which is the largest in the city.

Like every year, the event was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Nusrat was invited to this year's event and ISKCON said that the actress was showing the way forward to achieving "social harmony".

Sporting a lime green saree, red bangles, a "mangalsutra" and vermilion, Jahan took part in the Rathyatra rituals along with Tollywood actor Soham and her entrepreneur husband, who was wearing a white kurta-pyjama.

"In West Bengal, we participate in festivals irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Bengal symbolises amity," the MP from Basirhat said. Jahan was heavily trolled recently for wearing vermilion and sporting a "mangalsutra" at her oath-taking ceremony in Parliament.

Slamming the critics, the MP had tweeted, saying she represented an "inclusive India... which is beyond the barriers of caste, creed and religion".

"I'm fortunate to be invited by ISKCON and am really proud to be a part of the event. West Bengal celebrates all religious events together without any communal differences," said Nusrat, whose wedding reception is scheduled to be held at a five-star hotel here in the evening.

She highlighted her party's vision, saying that they all follow the path of peace and brotherhood as shown by 'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee).

The actress also vouched for unity and secularism, which she feels is an important aspect of the state.

"I will pray to Lord Jagannath for the well-being of all the people of West Bengal. I wish everyone comes together to pull the lord's chariot," Nusrat said.

This year ISKCON is celebrating the 48th edition of the chariot festival in the state capital.

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