Mamata unveils 400-odd pujas, pens piece on RG Kar incident

Kolkata: Starting with Hatibagan Nabin Palli in North Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, began inaugurating community pujas across the state.

MLA Atin Ghosh, minister Pradip Mazumdar, MLA Supti Pandey were present at the inauguration of Hatibangan Puja, where Banerjee emphasised that she chose Hatibagan to start the inauguration of pujas this year.

Banerjee virtually inaugurated some 400-odd community pujas from the premises of the Chetla Agrani Club.

“Those who are trying to tarnish (the image of) Bengal before the world will someday realise that they cannot absolve themselves of what they are doing,” she said at Chetla Agrani Club.

Banerjee also unveiled the festival issue of her party mouthpiece ‘Jago Bangla’ at Nazrul Manch, where she expressed grief over the RG Kar rape and murder incident.

She appealed to the people of the state to celebrate the festival but also support the flood-affected people in different parts of Bengal.

The Chief Minister is slated to virtually inaugurate 1200 district pujas in the next three days.

Ten songs penned and music composed by her was also officially released on Tuesday.

Singers such as Nachiketa, Indranil Sen, Sriradha Banerjee, Raghab Chattopadhyay, among others, lent their voice to Banerjee’s songs which are part of the album named ‘Anjali’.

At Nazrul Mancha, Banerjee released the festival issue of Jago Bangla where she wrote: “The tragedy of RG Kar Hospital has left my heart burning. I felt that someone from my family had died. No one can accept this. I belong to a family where there are daughters. I understand where the pain lies. Why do people demand punishment?” Her article also stems from the passing of the ‘Aparijita Woman and Child Bill’ in the state Assembly that advocates capital punishment for such crimes. She also reiterated that Bengal celebrates all festivals without any discrimination and believes in religious tolerance.

State Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, editor of Jago Bangla was present along with Indranil Sen, who is the Minister of State of Information and Cultural Affairs department.

Banerjee also went to Jodhpur Park and Dhakuria area where she inaugurated four community pujas that included Selimpur Pally, Babubagan, 95 Pally and Jodhpur Park.

At the inauguration of 95 Pally Puja, in what seemed to be an allusion to the junior doctors’ protest against RG Kar incident, Banerjee said: “I know the meaning of struggle, how to start a struggle and how to end it.”

“I will appeal to the people of the state to believe in your ability and not to be depressed amidst trials and tribulations. When one path is blocked, you can be certain that another new avenue will open up,” she added.

She praised the theme of Babubagan titled ‘Kabitirtha’ where works of different poets of Bengal have been highlighted to portray the state’s role in the freedom struggle till the period of mass awakening.

Banerjee suggested to Sujata Gupta, a teacher who conceptualised the theme of Babubagan, to prepare a book on the concept so that the students, particularly ones in English medium schools, can have an idea of the history of Bengal.Banerjee mentioned that Puja allowance this year has been provided to 48,000 community pujas in Kolkata and across the state.Secretary of Hatibagan and secretary of Forum for Durga Puja, Saswata Bose thanked Banerjee for her encouragement and support towards Durga Puja which is recognised by UNESCO as cultural Heritage.