On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for commencing Durga Puja inaugurations even before Mahalaya, accusing her of undermining the sacredness of the festival. Dilip Ghosh, the party’s national vice-president, remarked, “She has already decided that she will pay money to put her picture in the marquees. If not physically, she will inaugurate virtually. She also recites Chandipath wrongly. She has ruined the sanctity of Durga Puja.”
In a swift response, Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool Congress state general secretary, retorted, “I think he (Ghosh) is mentally unstable. She is inaugurating Puja pandals and mandaps, not starting the Puja itself. Many organizers want the CM to inaugurate the puja. They had requested her a long time ago. The inaugurations have nothing to do with Puja donations.”
Chief Minister Banerjee commenced Puja inaugurations last Thursday. In addition to the Sribhoomi Sporting Club, she inaugurated the Puja celebrations at FD Block, Salt Lake, and Tala Pratyay. On Monday, she continued the trend by inaugurating 12 Durga Puja marquees, including the one at Kalighat Milan Sangha in south Kolkata.