Mamata offers prayers at Puri Temple seeking peace & harmony
Puri: Deeply pained due to the unprecedented violence over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Delhi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday offered prayers to Lord Jagannath at Puri seeking "restoration of peace and harmony without any more bloodshed".
After offering her prayers, Banerjee said: "Let peace prevail across the country. We don't want bloodshed. I offered Puja today (Wednesday) and prayed for peace for the people of my country."
A visibly disturbed Chief Minister added: "Today I am deeply pained on whatever is taking place around us. Let the people live happily without violence in any part of the country. There shouldn't be any differences among people."
She further added: "I came here today and offered prayers to Lord Jagannath so that my brothers and sisters can live in peace. I prayed for the people of this country, for the people of Bengal and Odisha and for everyone. I will also pray for peace and harmony of one and all on behalf of the people of Bengal."
Banerjee went to the temple at around 4.15 pm and was received by the head priest of Puri Temple Rajesh Doitapati and other senior priests. The state Youth Services and Sports Minister Aroop Biswas accompanied the Chief Minister. There were thousands who had gathered near the temple to catch a glimpse of her.
Banerjee said the last time she came to visit the Puri Temple was in 2017. Often daitapatis (priests) from Puri visit her house to perform puja of Lord Jagannath. She got an opportunity to visit the temple this time as the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting is scheduled to take place in Odisha.
She said the maximum number of tourists to visit Puri is from Bengal. Banerjee, who will be attending the EZC meeting on Friday, said she had a telephonic conversation with her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. Union Home minister Amit Shah will be attending the meeting in which Chief Ministers and senior administrative officers of four states — Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha — will be present. The meeting will be taking place in Bhubaneswar.
