Cancelling Durga Puja not an option, follow Covid protocols: Mamata

Kolkata: Stating that she has always received cooperation from people, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said: "It is your support that made us stay with you in the past, present and will also continue in future. We will be standing beside our people in organising Durga Puja."

Virtually inaugurating 110 Durga Pujas in 12 South Bengal districts from Nabanna Sabhaghar on Thursday, Banerjee added: "It is not right to stop Durga Puja. The government has not put restrictions on celebrations of any festival though in some cases, people had to observe the same sitting in their homes. But it is not possible in terms of Durga Puja as it is mostly organised by 'barowari' committees and there are few household Pujas."

In the same breath, she urged people to pray to Maa Durga to get rid of riot oppression, unemployment, attempts of spreading canards along with Corona.

"We had been with the people in the past. We are with them in the present and will continue to be with them in the future. We will celebrate Puja by standing beside them... We are nothing but just your representative. We work because you all elect us to ensure development of the state. Today, this is the first time in the state's history when it has become possible to virtually inaugurate around 200 Pujas in districts. We have become successful in doing the same because you all have elected us and we regularly work for the development of the state."

She once again requested people to maintain physical distancing instead of "social distancing" and to put on masks and use hand sanitisers so that infection does not spread during the mega festival.

Praying to Goddess Durga to forgive all mistakes, the Chief Minister mentioned about the state's initiative to connect Purulia with flight service. She also mentioned about the development work carried out across the state including in Jangalmahal areas of Jhargram, West Midnapore and Purulia.

Banerjee had sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the renovation of Kanak Durga Temple in Jhargram and she is sending her Puja to be offered to the deity there.

She has also stressed upon undertaking further development of Bongaon Town, situated close to the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Banerjee on Thursday inaugurated the Pujas in districts including Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, Birbhum, Hooghly, Howrah, East and West Burdwan, East and West Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas.

After virtual inauguration from Nabanna Sabhaghar, Banerjee visited Bosepukur Talbagan, 21 Pally and Bosepukur Sitala Mata Sarbojonin Durgotsav and inaugurated them.