Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said that he will continue to have Bengal visits, will talk politics, and will do his best for ushering in a (political) “change”.
Shah landed in Kolkata – for a brief time – and inaugurated the famous Durga Puja of Santosh Mitra Square, being organised by Sajal Ghosh, a BJP leader and municipal councillor.
“I have not not come today to talk politics. I will (continue to) come to West Bengal, and will talk about politics too. And, I will also give my best for a (political) change,” Shah said, speaking at the venue.
The pandal (temporary structure built for the puja) is built resembling the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Shah congratulated the people of north Kolkata for “inaugurating” the temple, represented as a pandal. “The Ram Mandir that's being built in Ayodhya… Before the inauguration of Ram Mandir in January, in north Kolkata’s pandal, people of Kolkata have inaugurated it. I wish to congratulate them,” the Union minister said.
Shah said that in front of “Maa” (Goddess Durga) in the pandal, he will pray for the wellbeing of the people of Bengal, and of the rest of the country. Besides, he said, he would also pray before the goddess for such strength, that leads to rapid elimination of “corruption”, “injustice”, and “atrocities” from Bengal.
Shah said that he had left Gujarat in the morning, and had come to Kolkata, via Chhattisgarh, only to seek blessings of Mother Durga.
Governor CV Ananda Bose, in a video message, offered greetings in Bengali, to people of the state.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been inaugurating several puja venues, virtually. Banerjee has stayed home, on the advice of doctors, following an injury in her leg. The chief minister, however, is expected to participate in the Durga Puja carnival at Red Road, on October 27.
Published 16 October 2023, 18:01 IST