West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called for religious harmony and togetherness as she inaugurated the ISKCON Rathyatra festival here, the largest in the city.

Banerjee, who was flanked by newly-elected MP Nusrat Jahan and her husband Nikhil Jain, said, “Togetherness and tolerance for all faiths is the real religion.”

Sporting a lime green sari, 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 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”.

On Thursday, the Basirhat MP conveyed her gratitude to ISKCON for inviting her to the Rathyatra celebrations and extended her best wishes to all.“We should all move ahead together and learn to live together. Jai Jagannath,” she told the gathering.

“Nusrat Jahan represents a new India…an all-inclusive India. Respect for others’ religious beliefs and participation in their festivities will make India great again. This is what India stands for and youngsters like Nusrat Jahan are showing the path forward,” he had said.