Kolkata, Sep 12 (PTI) Alleging that the successive Left Front and TMC governments had tried to destroy cultural traditions of Bengali Hindus in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday asserted that the current BJP dispensation was seeking to restore the “heritage and traditions” associated with them.
After inaugurating a Ganesh Puja at Kestopur, Adhikari said the alleged efforts to undermine the state’s cultural identity had continued for nearly five decades, referring to the 34-year Left Front rule and the 15 years of the TMC dispensation in West Bengal.
Adhikari also emphasised the plight of incarcerated Bangladeshi Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, after photographs of him grieving beside his mother’s mortal remains surfaced in the media.
“The tears of Chinmoy Prabhu had moved ‘sanatanis’ across the world,” the CM said.
His comment comes a day after the Trinamool Congress had on Friday lashed out at the BJP for allegedly maintaining silence over the plight of the Bangladeshi Hindu monk.
Adhikari also mentioned the plight of people from the erstwhile East Pakistan during the Partition.
The chief minister alleged that traditional Hindu practices, religious texts and festivals were “deliberately pushed onto the back foot” during the Left rule.
He claimed that books by Communist Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin could be found at Durga Puja pandals during the period, while works associated with Swami Vivekananda, Swami Pranavananda and the Ramakrishna Mission were allegedly absent.
“Those who had ruled West Bengal for 34 years did not want us to write about or follow our religious traditions, scriptures, and rituals,” Adhikari alleged.
During the 15-year TMC government, attempts were made to “create divisions” among people in the name of religion, language and festivals, he claimed.
Without naming former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari referred to a previous instance when, he claimed, restrictions were imposed on immersion of Durga idols because of Muharram.
“Whatever is written in the almanac will be followed during the Durga Puja festival…We are seeking to bring back the traditional calendar and practices associated with Durga Puja,” Adhikari said.
He urged people to remain united in preserving their identity, religion, heritage and traditions.
Adhikari also sought to broaden the cultural significance of festivals such as Ganesh Puja and Chhath, saying such celebrations should not be restricted to any particular region or community.
“Ganesh Puja is not only Maharashtra’s festival. It belongs to ‘sanatanis’ across the world,” he said.
Adhikari said his government wanted to break the “walls” created between communities and linguistic groups and emphasised a broader Indian identity.
The chief minister also said he had instructed that Durga Puja inaugurations should begin from the auspicious period of ‘Devi Paksha’ and that the traditional practices associated with ‘Mahalaya’ and ‘Mahashtami’ should be maintained.
He called upon people to protect Bengal’s cultural heritage while seeking development and prosperity for the state.
Adhikari later inaugurated another Ganesh Puja on Mall Road in Dumdum area.
He offered prayers and performed ‘aarti’, amid chanting of hymns by priests. PTI BSM BDC
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