Bengal CM hits out at Mamata says she was put in prison van in Delhi due to ‘wrath’ of Goddess Kali

    Bhatpara, Nov 13 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday mocked his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, asserting that she was put inside a prison van in Delhi during protests in October, as she had “earned the wrath” of Maa Kali, after an idol of the goddess was allegedly carried in a similar vehicle in South 24 Parganas district last year.

    Addressing a Chhath Puja celebration at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, Adhikari said the person who had “instructed the police to take the idol of Maa Kali in a prison van” had herself faced a similar situation on the day of Mahalaya.

    "She had to face the wrath of the goddess," the chief minister said, in an apparent reference to Banerjee.

    On October 10, Banerjee was detained along with other TMC leaders who were protesting in the national capital against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

    She had described her detention as similar to being "kidnapped", and said it was her first time being taken in a "prison van".

    Adhikari also accused a section of people of attempting to divide Hindus and Sanatanis.

    He also said that any attempt to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “who had charted the roadmap for a 'Viksit Bharat 2047', would not be tolerated”.

    Highlighting the “growing participation” in religious celebrations, Adhikari claimed that around 1.5 crore people had taken part in Ram Navami rallies across the state this year, while nearly 30,000 Ganesh Puja celebrations were organised.

    Earlier at a Jagaddhatri Puja inauguration in Chandannagar, Adhikari asserted that his government had never put any hurdles in the way of people celebrating religious festivals.

    Adhikari said the state government had granted permission to 13,000 more Durga pujas over the earlier 45,000, besides facilitating another 60,000 Kali Puja celebrations this year.

    "We have never put any hurdles on anyone observing puja. Nobody should have to approach the court for permission to celebrate a festival," he said.

    Referring to the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede that left 19 people dead, Adhikari said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had described the incident as a case of human error.

    The chief minister appealed to organisers of Jagaddhatri Puja and Chhath Puja to maintain close coordination with the administration and police, keeping the safety of devotees in mind.

    "More than one crore people participate in Chhath Puja in Bengal. We all take part in every festival together," he said.

    Emphasising his approach towards public life, Adhikari said he did not view himself merely as the administrative head of the state, but as a servant of the people.

    The CM also said the state would develop and beautify the religious tourism circuit across the state, from Coochbehar in North Bengal to Tarakeswar in the south.

    He said the Durga Puja celebrations would be taken in a big way to places like Barasat and Naihati, famous for Kali Puja, and to Chandannagar, Krishnanagar and Rishra, which are known for Jagaddhatri Puja.

    Speaking about Chandannagar’s heritage, he said the town boasts of brilliant indigenous lighting craftsmanship, popularised by Sridhar Das, among others, as well as sweet delicacies such as ‘Jolbhora Sandesh’, “which has received a GI tag”.

    "Chandannagar is also the land of revolutionaries like Kanailal Dutta," he said.

    Adhikari also inaugurated several other pujas in the former French colony during the day.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)