BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari to reconstruct, 'purify' temples vandalised during Murshidabad violence

Kolkata: Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday initiated a move to rebuild and "purify" nine temples which were vandalised by mobs during the communal violence in parts of Murshidabad district of West Bengal earlier this month.

On the auspicious occasion of ‘Akshay Tritiya’, Adhikari who is the leader of the opposition in the state also called for unity among all “nationalist Sanatanis against jihadi forces".

Nine temples were vandalised during the anti-Waqf Act protests at Jangipur, Dhulian, Suti and Samsherganj areas of Murshidabad district on April 11 and 12 by mobs while a large number of families fled.

In an X post, Adhikari said, "The fundamentalist hardliners had engineered communal riots in parts of Murshidabad, forced 700 Hindu families to flee from their homes and indulged in acts of arson in several houses."

He recalled that he had pledged to the 'devout Hindus' of the district that he would do his best to help the distressed families, purify and rebuild nine temples on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

"As the one always at their service, I was virtually present among the Sanatanis on this day. I offer my regards to every devout Hindu in Murshidabad," the BJP leader said.

Adhikari, who accused the Mamata Banerjee government of aiding and abetting the “jihadi elements” in the district and elsewhere in the state, called for unity among all nationalist Sanatanis.

"Let the brotherhood among Hindus foster," he added.

Adhikari also organised a 'Sanatani Sammelan' at his home turf Contai in Purba Medinipur district where monks and sadhus were present amid chanting of slogans 'Hindu Hindu Bhai Bhai'.

He asserted that the time has come to uphold values of Sanatan Dharma at this hour of crisis to prevent West Bengal from turning into another Bangladesh due to the "appeasement" policy of the TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee.

"On the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a grand Sanatani Sammelan was organised at Contai. The Maha Dharma Sammelan was graced by the presence of Revered Sadhus, Monks and respected flag bearers of the Sanatana Dharma.” Devotees came together to celebrate and show their unwavering commitment to spread the glory of Sanatana Dharma, the BJP MLA from Nandigram said.

The 'Sanatani Sammelan' was held at Contai after the BJP leader moved the Calcutta High Court praying for permission to hold the congregation. The court granted him permission with certain conditions.

Adhikari, a strong votary of Hindutva since his joining BJP from TMC in 2020-end, has also accused the CM of spending taxpayers' money to build a Jagannath temple in Digha violating norms.

He has repeatedly charged Banerjee with playing religion-based divisive politics by minority appeasement on one hand and playing the Hindutva card on the other.

"The temple inaugurated in Digha by the CM today is not a temple but a cultural complex as enunciated by this government itself in its invitation card. Mamata Banerjee is playing with the sentiments of Hindus," he told reporters at Contai.