‘I Respect All Religions’: Mamata Defends Secular Credentials at Durga Angan Event
Mamata Banerjee launches Durga complex amid BJP outrage.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Rs 261.99 crore ‘Durga Angan’ cultural complex near Eco Park in New Town, Kolkata, describing the project as a tribute to UNESCO’s recognition of Durga Puja as intangible cultural heritage while strongly defending her secular credentials against persistent accusations of minority appeasement.
Banerjee asserted her commitment to equal respect for all religions, declaring herself a true secularist who participates in festivals across faiths because individual faith is personal but celebrations unite society, and challenged critics to name any religious event she has avoided attending.
The Chief Minister indirectly targeted political opponents, stating that while some engage in looting, vandalism, and divisive decisions about citizenship, she prays to Goddess Durga to destroy evil, and criticized the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, questioning attempts to link nationality with voting rights and alleging discrimination against Bengali speakers.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a fierce counterattack, with senior leader Suvendu Adhikari accusing Banerjee of misappropriating land originally allocated for industrial development, bypassing tenders and work orders, and labeling the entire initiative as fake, while another leader predicted internal discord within Trinamool Congress and impending electoral setbacks.
The sprawling 17.28-acre Durga Angan complex will feature a 54-metre-high sanctum sanctorum housing 108 deities and 64 lion statues, additional temples for Shiva, Ganesha, Kartik, Saraswati, and Lakshmi, extensive green spaces with over 300 trees, a cultural museum, natural ventilation design for eco-friendliness, and management by a trust headed by the Chief Secretary.
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