Abhishek Banerjee ridicules Amit Shah on latter’s Kolkata visit to inaugurate Puja

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary and party's Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee without directly naming Union home minister Amit Shah ridiculed him over his scheduled visit to Kolkata on Monday to inaugurate Durga Puja in central Kolkata on Saturday evening.

“Those who once attacked the rich cultural heritage of West Bengal by claiming that there is no freedom to celebrate Durga Puja in the state, are coming to the state to inaugurate a community Puja,” Banerjee said while addressing a party function here on Saturday evening.

Although Banerjee did not name the Union home minister even once, his clear indication was about the latter’s earlier comments in the past where he complained of non-cooperation on part of the state administration in organising Durga Puja. The Union home minister had commented while addressing an election rally before the 2021 state assembly polls.

Shah will inaugurate the Puja of Santosh Mitra Square at Lebutala Park in central Kolkata, whose principal organiser is BJP councilor in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Sajal Ghosh. The theme of this particular community Puja this year is Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

According to Ghosh, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya in January next year, before that Home Minister will be inaugurating another Ram Mandir in Kolkata,

Ghosh also confirmed that the only programme that Shah will have in Kolkata on Monday will be to inaugurate the Puja. “As per the schedule fixed so far, he will be in the city for a couple of hours. He will come to the city, inaugurate the Puja and go back to New Delhi,” Ghosh said.