Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday visited Kolkata to inaugurate Santosh Mitra Square Durga puja which has made ‘Operation Sindoor’ as their theme.
After inaugurating the pandal, Shah said that he had prayed to Maa Durga that after the 2026 election a government should come which can give back Bengal ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal) glory.
“We want Bengal to become a safe, prosperous state again. We want Bengal to become exactly as Rabindranath Tagore had dreamt,” said Shah.
Paying tributes to social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on his birth anniversary, Shah reminded people about the contribution of Vidyasagar in the field of education and reforms for women.
“In his time he had brought revolution in education. His contribution in Bengali language, Bengal and education for women can never be forgotten,” mentioned the union Home minister.
Shah also condoled the families of the victims who lost their lives due to rainfall at the beginning of Durga Puja festivities and stated that all BJP workers are there with the bereaved families.
After inaugurating Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja, Shah visited Kalighat temple and offered prayers to Goddess Kali and then inaugurated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Durga Puja in EZCC in Salt Lake near Kolkata.
Notably, the saffron camp had started its own Durga Puja since 2020 aiming for the 2021 Assembly elections. Following the poll debacle the puja lost its glory but this year it regained its glory aiming at the 2026 Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, while observing Vidyasagar’s birth anniversary at Vidyasagar college, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national secretary Abhishek Banerjee slammed Shah questioning whether BJP can make the states they are in power ‘Golden’.
“ ‘Sonar Bangla’ will always remain ‘Sonar’. Did BJP make UP, MP, Bihar, North East and rest of the places they are in power ‘Golden states’? Shah came to inaugurate Durga Pandal which is a few kilometres away from Vidyasagar college. He can speak there but can neither visit this college or house of Vidyasagar in Kolkata,” said Banerjee.
