Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that people would give a befitting reply to those who tried to malign Durga Puja and insulted Mahatma Gandhi by replacing 'Mahisasura' with a crudely-crafted lookalike of the father of the nation.
Her comments came in the wake of a Durga Puja organised by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha in Kolkata, depicting the buffalo demon as a Gandhi lookalike. The depiction led to a huge controversy and outrage.
"It's a matter of shame that they tried to malign Durga Puja by using the face of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, as that of 'asur'. All of us respect Gandhiji," Banerjee said while addressing a Bijoya Sammelani programme in Kolkata. The chief minister thanked the Kolkata Police for their prompt action, aptly handling the situation and not allowing it to snowball into an issue during the Durga Puja.
Banerjee said police acted immediately when the incident came to her knowledge, adding that she kept quiet as she didn't want to make it an issue during the festivities. "People will give a befitting reply to those who tried to insult the father of the nation. What should the punishment be for such people? I won't decide this. The public will decide their fate," she said.
The organisers of the puja near Ruby crossing in southeast Kolkata changed the appearance of the idol that looked like Gandhi following instructions from the police after a complaint was lodged. The West Bengal BJP unit, too, had condemned such a representation. Banerjee said the saffron camp had repeatedly insulted national icons like Gandhi, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Rabindranath Tagore.
She said the people of the country would never forget the insult meted out to the icons and a day would come when they would rise against the saffron camp. Banerjee continued her tirade against the Union government, saying the same investigating agencies, which are now being used to hound the opposition, would target the BJP leaders once they are out of power.
Her comments come after the arrest of TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya on Tuesday for involvement in alleged irregularities in the recruitment of primary teachers. In July, the ED had arrested former education minister Partha Chatterjee in the SSC scam. "Today, you (BJP) are in power, showing your might. Tomorrow, the same investigative agencies will target you. Better be prepared for that day," Banerjee added.
The chief minister said Bengal generated over Rs 50,000 crore in business during the Durga Puja, pointing out that other festivals are celebrated with equal fervour. She added that the administration provided over 700 acres of land in Nadia district to the Iskcon and a mega Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Iskcon town would come up there by 2024. Banerjee reiterated that religion might be a personal affair, but festivals were for all. "This is the beauty of Bengal, where Durga Puja Carnival and Eid prayers are held at the same venue -- Red Road," she said. (PTI)
