Mamata prays for well-being of all on occasion of Christmas, asks revellers to follow COVID norms

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the midnight mass at a prominent church in the city on Friday and prayed for the well-being of one and all.

She later took to social media and urged everyone to maintain COVID-19 protocols amid the festivities.

"I pray to the God for the safety and well being of everyone. The warm glow of festive lights and smiling faces everywhere filled my heart with joy. As we celebrate I urge everyone to maintain all COVID protocols. Wear a mask at all times and use hand sanitizers," she posted on Facebook.

"Merry Christmas to all my brothers and sisters across the world. From Vatican to Goa to Meghalaya to Kolkata- enjoy the festive season and make happy memories," the TMC boss added.

Interestingly, the TMC is making its foray into Goa and Meghalaya, the two states which found a mention in her tweet. Both Goa and Meghalaya have a sizeable Christian population.

During the day, people of Kolkata, many of them donning Santa Claus hats, were seen soaking in the Yuletide spirit at the popular tourist spots in the city with families and friends.

Park Street, a must-visit destination for every reveller, came alive with multihued Christmas lights, with many restaurants dishing put special menus on the occasion.

Several musical programmes were lined up at Allen Park and its vicinity.

A 54-foot tall Christmas tree, placed next to a premium hotel in Park Street, grabbed eyeballs as many people were seen clicking its pictures.

Physical distancing, however, went for a toss in many places as people were seen thronging the city's hotspots, such as the Alipore zoo and the Eco Park, without masks.

"We are trying to sensitise people," a Kolkata Police officer near the zoo said.