Abhishek offers prayers, hands over stalls at Baba Boro Kachari Temple

Kolkata: Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress and the Diamond Harbour MP, on Sunday, handed over the keys of newly constructed stalls to traders whose shops were destroyed in a fire nearly two years ago at the Baba Boro Kachari Temple located in Bakrahat, South 24-Parganas and offered prayers at the temple.

The devastating blaze had gutted several stalls adjacent to the temple, leaving a number of small traders and their families without a stable source of income. The stalls have now been rebuilt and Banerjee distributed the keys among the affected shop owners, enabling them to resume their businesses and rebuild their livelihoods.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee offered prayers at the temple, seeking blessings for the health, well-being and prosperity of the people of West Bengal. Sharing details of the visit on social media, he said the initiative aimed to restore the livelihoods of families affected by the fire incident. “Nearly two years ago, a devastating fire had damaged the stalls adjacent to the temple, leaving several families without their means of income. I am pleased that today we were able to hand over the keys to newly constructed stalls, enabling them to resume their work with dignity,” he said.

During the visit, Banerjee also interacted with local residents and traders and enquired about local issues in the area.

In another moment that drew attention, Banerjee was seen helping an elderly man who had fallen from his bicycle by the roadside near the temple.

Noticing the incident, he stepped out of his vehicle and, along with his security personnel, assisted the man. After ensuring the elderly person had recovered from the fall, they helped him continue towards his destination.

Local traders welcomed the move and expressed hope that the rebuilt stalls would help them restart their businesses and bring stability back to their families.