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Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bengal govt delivers Digha Jagannath temple prasad to 10.4 million households
Kolkata: The West Bengal government has started delivering prasad from the newly-constructed Jagannath temple in Digha at the doorsteps of more than 10.4 million households across the state. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee chairs a high-level meeting for Smooth Snan Yatra at Digha Jagannath Temple, at Nabanna Sabhaghar in Howrah on June 12. (ANI) 'Around 300 kilos of khoa (a sweet), which was offered to the deities - Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram and Goddess Subhadra – was sent to all the districts in West Bengal in small amounts. There they were mixed with additional khoa in select sweetshops to make peda and gaja. These are being delivered to more than 10.4 million households at the doorsteps,' Radharamn Das, vice-president and spokesman of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Kolkata, told HT. However, a fresh controversy has erupted over the government's initiative of distributing prasad from the temple. Earlier this year a series of controversies were triggered when the temple, a brainchild of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, was inaugurated on April 30. On June 10, around 300 kilos of khoa (a sweet), supplied by a Kolkata-based manufacturer, reached the temple in refrigerated containers. Dozens of priests received the khoa, which was then offered to the trinity deities - Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram and Goddess Subhadra. 'The offering (khoa) was then sent to the districts where more sweets were added to increase their volume and two types of sweets were made. They were packed and are now being delivered to the households by ration dealers,' said Das. The door-to-door delivery of the prasad started from June 17 and is likely to continue till July 4. The state government is taking the help of its huge network of ration shops and ration dealers to deliver the prasad at the door-step of 10.4 million households. 'In 2021 the state government launched the Duare Ration scheme, through which subsidised food grains are delivered at the door steps of the beneficiaries. More than 22,000 ration dealers are involved in this. This entire network is now being utilised to deliver the prasad at the door steps,' said Biswambhar Basu, national general secretary of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation. Each packet will contain two sweets (peda and gaja) and a photo of the temple and the trinity deities. Each packet will cost around ₹ 20, a senior official said. Suvendu Adhikari, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, however, alleged that the TMC-led government was hurting the sentiments of Hindus. 'The government is hurting the sentiments of Hindus in the name of distributing prasad. This is not prasad as it is not coming directly from any temple. These are sweets manufactured in local sweet shops. True Hindus will not accept it as a prasad. They will accept it only as sweets from the local shop. This is an anti-Hindu government,' Adhikari told the media. On April 30, while speaking to the media on the temple's inauguration day, Banerjee had said: 'I am giving responsibility to the state Information and Cultural Affairs (I&CA) department. A photo of the temple and a small amount of prasad should be delivered to every house across the state and also to eminent persons across the country.' A senior official, however, pointed out that when the government issued the order for the prasad to be delivered by ration dealers, the word 'prasad' was replaced by 'souvenir'. 'It has been decided that a token souvenir in connection with the 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre' (Digha) will be distributed to the households of the state by utilising the 'Duare Ration' delivery system,' said the order issued by the I&CA department earlier this month. While Banerjee is the state I&CA minister, Indranil Sen is the minister of state. Multiple calls made to Sen went unanswered. He didn't respond to specific whatsapp messages either. 'These initiatives by Banerjee are nothing but an attempt to counter the BJP's Hindutva campaign. But while on one hand the government is calling it a temple and a dham, on paper they are saying it is a cultural centre. Also, they are not using the word prasad, they are calling it a souvenir. Duare Ration scheme is availed not just by the Hindus, but by other communities also. This may hurt their sentiments as well,' said Rabindranath Bhattacharya, professor of political science at Burdwan University. The BJP, meanwhile, has already raised allegations that non-Hindus are being used to deliver the prasad to Hindu households in some areas. This is, however, not the first time that a controversy has erupted over the Jagannath temple. The 'temple' tag itself triggered a major controversy ahead of the inauguration when the BJP had raised questions on how funds from the government exchequer can be used for constructing any institution for a particular religion. Days before the 'temple' was inaugurated, Adhikari wrote an open letter to the state's chief secretary HK Dwivedi seeking clarification on whether it was a 'temple' or a 'cultural centre' 'The tender documents of West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation reveal that 'Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra' has been built at Digha? You are inviting me to attend the 'Prana Pratistha' Ceremony. Will you clarify whether 'Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra' (cultural center) is being inaugurated or Jagannath Temple is being inaugurated? You must reprint the Invitation Card with proper clarity. You can also send me a reply clarifying whether HIDCO has built a Temple or a Cultural Centre,' Adhikari wrote on X on April 27. The newly constructed temple also became a bone of contention between the TMC-led government in West Bengal and the BJP-led government in Odisha, which houses the 12th century Jagannath Dham in Puri. Mohan Majhi, chief minister of Odisha also shot a letter to Banerjee asking her to refrain from tagging the Digha temple as a 'dham'. Allegations had surfaced that neem wood, preserved at the Puri temple, was stolen to make the idols in the Digha temple. Considered auspicious in Hindu religion, wood from neem (Azadirachta Indica) tree was used to make the idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra at the ancient Puri temple. Banerjee oversaw the consecration ceremony on April 30. The consecration was supervised by Rajesh Daitapati (servitor), one of the priests from the Puri temple. 'Nobody raises questions when Mamata Banerjee builds skywalks at Dakshineswar and Kalighat temple or worships Kali or Durga. But the Jagannath Dham seems to have hit the wrong nerve. I am being accused of stealing a neem tree. There are four neem trees at my home. Ask them how many they want. We don't need to steal things,' Banerjee had said in May, reacting to the allegations. Though a subsequent probe found the allegations untrue, the servitor of the Puri temple who attended the 'consecration process' of the Jagannath temple in Digha was debarred from entering the temple for a month. 'I think that the people of the state are somewhat indifferent to this Jagannath temple issue. Neither the BJP nor the TMC will gain anything out of this. Only a handful of sweet-traders are likely to gain something from this as a few crores of rupees are involved. Even though the Mamata Banerjee government had planned to counter the Hindutva campaign, it has lost the edge,' said Biswanath Chakraborty, professor of political science at the Rabindra Bharati University.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Pakistan received loans from IMF instead of being cornered globally': Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed International Monetary Fund's (IMF) bailout to Pakistan, saying that the country was being granted a loan, instead of being 'globally cornered'. The terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 claimed the lives of 26 people, following which the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor. The army targeted and destroyed terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Speaking on the attack, Mamata Banerjee demanded that those responsible for the attack be brought to justice. 'We don't support terrorism; it has no religion, caste, or creed,' the West Bengal CM added. The West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack and praising the Indian Armed Forces for the strikes conducted in response. 'We salute the bravery of our armed forces,' Banerjee, adding that there was a need to teach the terrorists 'a lesson'. The resolution praised the Indian Army for their 'unwavering courage in safeguarding the nation's security'. However, the resolution did not mention the term 'Operation Sindoor', according to a PTI news agency report. The House, however, saw chaotic scenes during discussions on the resolution following Mamata Banerjee's remarks over the Pahalgam terror attack, criticising the central government. The move comes a week after union home minister Amit Shah's criticism of the TMC-led West Bengal government. 'To appease the Muslim vote bank, Mamata didi opposed Operation Sindoor. She has insulted the mothers and sisters of this country,' Shah said during an organisational meeting of the BJP's Bengal unit in Kolkata. He added that Banerjee was 'pained over the death of terrorists". The TMC had opposed Shah's statements, while extending support to the army and the government in the fight against terrorism. (With PTI inputs)
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Shocked, very sad": Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee responds PM Modi's comments at Alipurduar rally
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 29 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed shock and sadness over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments criticising the TMC-led government's actions during the recent Murshidabad violence. She criticised PM Modi for politicising national issues, particularly when the Opposition is actively representing the country--Operation Sindoor outreach to convey India's unified stance against terrorism and seek international support to hold Pakistan accountable. Mamata Banerjee challenged the BJP to face elections immediately, stating that Bengal is ready to accept the challenge. She emphasised that time is a crucial factor and that the people of Bengal will respond accordingly. CM Mamata Banerjee said, 'What Modi ji said today, we are not only shocked but also very sad to hear this, when the Opposition is representing the country at that time, in his presence, his minister said that they will do Operation Bengal, like Operation Sindoor. I challenge them - if they have guts, go into elections tomorrow, we are ready and Bengal is ready to accept your challenge.' She highlighted the role of her representative, Abhishek Banerjee, who is part of the team actively speaking out against terrorism. Mamata Banerjee criticized Modi for accusing the Bengal government, which is defending the country, while simultaneously being supported by the same government. 'But please remember, time is a factor. You must remember the timing. Our representative Abhishek Banerjee is also in the team. And he is speaking every day against terrorism. At that time, Mr Modi, not as the PM but as the BJP president, you are criticising the Government (in Bengal) which is giving you full support, defending the country like anything,' added the West Bengal CM. Referring to the BJP as the 'Jumla Party', she claimed that the PM was spreading lies and was politicising Operation Sindoor for the party's benefit. She urged the BJP not to engage in politics of lies and misinformation, emphasising that such tactics do not serve the nation well. 'You are accusing the Government and you want to blame the Opposition at this time, at this hour, to politicise things just like the leader of the BJP Jumla Party. You are doing garbage of lies. They loot the country and scoot. It doesn't look nice to talk in this manner. Regarding Operation Sindoor, though I don't have any comments but please remember every woman has respect,' she further added. Notably, PM Modi during a BJP rally at Alipurduar on Thursday claimed that they had snatched the rights of the poor. PM Modi said, 'Today, when I have come to the land of 'Sindoor Khela', I will naturally discuss India's new resolve against terrorism. The terrorists dared to erase the Sindoor of our sisters. So our Army made them realise the power of the Sindoor... Pakistan has nothing positive to offer to the world. Ever since it came into existence, it has only nurtured terrorism... Terror and genocide are the biggest expertise of the Pakistan army. When a direct war is waged, their defeat is certain. This is the reason why the Pakistan army takes the help of terrorists... Pakistan should understand that 'teen baar ghar mein ghuskar maara hai tumhe'. This is the declaration of 140 crore Indians from the land of the Bengal Tiger- Operation Sindoor is not over yet.' She further said that during Operation Sindoor briefing, Indian Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi reiterated that India is a secular country, she also alleged that instead of relying on local support, the Prime Minister's team brought people from Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri to attend the meeting. 'But what did PM Modi say today? He wants to divide and rule. His policies are divisive. Why did he need to bring people from Assam for his event in Alipurduar? If he had faith in the people of Alipurduar, he would not have had to bring people from Assam. For a small meeting in Alipurduar, he didn't have to bring people from Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. This means that the people of North Bengal have shown that they don't have faith in the Prime Minister,' she added. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mamata Banerjee hits back at PM Modi: ‘Jumla party spreading lies, it loots and scoots'
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of using lies to divide and rule, after he criticised the TMC-led government's actions during the recent Murshidabad violence. She also said her party, the Trinamool Congress, is ready to 'go into elections tomorrow'. "What Modi ji said today, we are not only shocked but also very sad to hear this, when the Opposition is representing the country. In his presence, his minister said that they will do Operation Bengal, like Operation Sindoor. I challenge them - if they have guts, go into elections tomorrow, we are ready and Bengal is ready to accept your challenge," she said. Referring to the BJP as the 'Jumla Party', she claimed that the PM was spreading lies and was politicising Operation Sindoor for the party's benefit. Also Read: 'TMC does not want development:' PM Modi slams Mamata Banerjee for skipping NITI Aayog meeting "You are accusing the government and you want to blame the opposition at this time, at this hour, to politicise things just like the leader of the BJP Jumla Party. You are doing garbage. They loot the country and scoot. It doesn't look nice to talk in this manner,' said Banerjee. The West Bengal CM also stated that Modi's comments were disappointing in light of the Opposition's support for the government amid Operation Sindoor and the government's actions related to India's conflict with Pakistan. Also Read:To be ready for all eventualities, Mamata Banerjee unveils teacher recruitment schedule 'Our representative Abhishek Banerjee is also in the team. And he is speaking every day against terrorism, against terror. At that time, Mr Modi, not as the PM but as the BJP president, you are criticising the government (in Bengal) which is giving you full support, defending the country like anything," she said, referring to the all-party delegation. On Thursday, during a BJP rally at Alipurduar, PM Narendra Modi hit out at the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal, claiming that they had snatched the rights of the poor. 'First is the crisis of violence and anarchy spreading in society. Secondly, our mothers and sisters are unsafe and subjected to heinous crimes. Thirdly, extreme despair and rampant unemployment among the youth. Fourthly, there is a steady decline in trust in the system. Finally, the selfish politics of the ruling party have snatched the rights of the poor,' Modi said. Modi said that under the rule of the TMC, West Bengal was suffering from misgovernance and corruption. Further, he added that the education system in Bengal was also being ruined at the hands of the state government. 'We saw in the teacher recruitment scam how corruption ruins everything. The TMC government, in their tenure, destroyed the future and families of thousands of teachers and left their children helpless. The whole education system of West Bengal is being ruined," he said. (with inputs from PTI, ANI)
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Govt has become unpopular": BJP's Dilip Ghosh slams TMC over SSC teachers' protest
Paschim Medinipur (West Bengal) [India], May 19 (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Monday attacked the TMC-led West Bengal government over the ongoing SSC teachers' protest and termed it an 'unpopular' government. Speaking with ANI, Ghosh stated that individuals face threats when they voice criticism against the government, stressing that the time has arrived for a change in leadership. He further argued that the students' future will be in question if teachers are protesting on the streets. 'This government has become unpopular. They are not taking decisions. When people are speaking against them, they are being threatened. It is time for the government to go now. The teachers who should be teaching in the schools are today protesting on the streets... Who will think about the future of the children of Bengal?' Ghosh said. Teachers are protesting outside Kolkata's Bikash Bhawan against the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over 26,000 teachers losing their jobs in connection with the SSC recruitment case. The protest follows a Supreme Court judgement which held that the whole appointment process was tainted. The Supreme Court had allowed teachers whose appointments have been cancelled due to irregularities in the recruitment process to continue until the fresh selection process is completed. A bench led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna clarified that the aforesaid relief is only for teachers whose appointments were 'untainted'. The top court also refused to grant relief to continue service to the teaching staff in Groups C and D, stating that there are more 'tainted' candidates in those categories. The top court also directed the West Bengal government and the WB Staff Selection Commission to issue advertisements for fresh recruitment of assistant teachers by May 31 and to complete the entire process by December 31. The Supreme Court took its decision, citing that the students undergoing studies should not suffer on account of the order passed by the court following the irregularities in the entire recruitment process in 2016. On April 17, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, reacted to the Supreme Court's verdict on the SSC recruitment and stated that the matter would be resolved in a year. 'The Supreme Court has allowed the teachers to continue till December 2025. We were worried about how the salaries will be paid to them. Last time, it was said that salaries cannot be paid. We had assured them that they would not face any trouble. We have got time till December. Within this year, the matter will be resolved,' the West Bengal CM said. (ANI)
