Mamata extends Maha Shivaratri greetings, highlights govt efforts for renovation of shrines
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday extended greetings to people on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri and highlighted her government’s efforts over the past 15 years to preserve religious harmony and renovate places of worship across communities.
In a post on X, Banerjee said Bengal has a rich legacy of coexistence of different faiths, and stressed that her government has undertaken restoration and development of religious sites across the state to uphold that heritage.
Paying tribute to Lord Shiva, she said several prominent temples have been renovated, including the famed Jalpes Temple in Jalpaiguri, where a skywalk has been constructed for devotees.
She added that the state constituted the Tarakeswar Development Authority to focus on infrastructure and beautification around the Tarakeswar Temple, including lighting, road development and overall restoration.
The chief minister said renovation work has also been carried out at multiple Shiv temples across districts, including sites in Bardhaman, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Birbhum and West Medinipur, along with tourism infrastructure upgrades at Bakreshwar.
She announced that a ‘Mahakal Mahatirtha’ is being developed in Siliguri, where one of the world’s tallest Shiva statues will be installed.
Banerjee wished that peace and communal harmony prevail in everyone’s lives on the auspicious day.
Responding to the chief minister’s statement, senior Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury said he would have been happier had Banerjee spoken about employment generation, industrial growth and what he described as an “exodus” of industries from the state.
Union minister and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar alleged that no temples would remain safe if the Trinamool Congress returns to power again, claiming that people have already realised this and Mahakal, a form of Lord Shiva, will ensure the end of her rule.
Assembly elections in the state are due in a few months.