Pandal Hopping
From Mamata to Rahul, everyone is playing puja politics this festive season
Has the BJP’s brand of aggressive Hindutva prompted the TMC to modify its political posture or is it because the chief minister is on the back foot having delayed the immersion of Durga idols last year to make way for the Muslims observing Moharram? This year’s Durga Puja seems critical for Mamata Banerjee and she is already visiting puja pandals, besides having announced Rs 10,000 cash grants to 28,000 Durga Puja committees last month. This week, she may visit around 50 pandals of the 10,000 that have invited her. Mamata is not alone. The BJP, working hard to gain a foothold in Bengal, and the Congress, looking to regain its lost ground, are both busy playing puja politics. If Congress president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to offer ashtami prayers in a north Kolkata Durga Puja pandal on October 17, the BJP is bringing in Union ministers Suresh Prabhu and Jual Oram, though it is keeping their itinerary under wraps.
Besides pandal hopping, as expected, the political leaders are accusing each other of communalising puja. State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh says, “Mamata is the one communalising politics, not us.”
Meanwhile, upset by Mamata’s Durga Puja dole, several Muslim clerics have demanded the reintroduction of stipends for imams that were set aside by the high court. Notably, the high court has also refused to intervene on petitions objecting to the CM’s Durga Puja grants. Subsequently, while it did not stay the disbursal of grants, the Supreme Court has asked the state government whether it constituted a violation of constitutional provisions. Without awaiting a final order from the apex court, the state government went ahead and distributed the grants. Urban development minister Firhad Hakim even hailed the HC’s refusal to intervene as a UPSET BY MAMATA’S DURGA PUJA DOLE, MUSLIM CLERICS HAVE DEMANDED THE REINTRODUCTION OF STIPENDS FOR IMAMS “victory” of sorts.
The BJP has responded by helping puja celebrations in rural areas. “We are concentrating on setting up stalls for health camps with first aid kits and distribution of water pouches. Our aim is to ensure that Durga Puja is celebrated as per traditions,” says BJP general secretary Deboshree Chowdhury, accusing Mamata of “robbing the puja of its essence”.
The RSS, meanwhile, is preparing to celebrate its foundation day by worshipping symbolic weapons on Vijayadashami day in a big way.