Amit Shah garlands 'wrong' Birsa Munda statue in West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stirred trouble during a two-day visit to West Bengal as he paid tributes to the wrong statue in Bankura district on Thursday.

Campaigning ahead of the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections, Amit Shah was in the tribal region of Jangalmahal and decided to pay tributes to legendary freedom fighter Bisra Munda. However, the tribal leaders pointed out that the statue garlanded was not the acclaimed Munda but a general tribal hunter.

The BJP was quick to cover up the statue-accident and placed a portrait of the tribal leader at the foot of the statue, according to a report by NDTV. Shah adorned the portrait with garlands and showered petals on the statue.

Shah tweeted the commemoration, Paid floral tributes to legendary tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Mundaji in Bankura, West Bengal today. Birsa Mundaji's life was dedicated to the rights and upliftment of our tribal sisters and brothers. His courage, struggles and sacrifices continue to inspire..."

The Union Home Minister’s act was not taken well by the tribals and the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal has declared itself upset, adding that they feel it is an insult to Birsa Munda. The report also added that people from the community sprinkled water from the Ganges around the statue to ‘purify’ it.

The statue-mix up has fuelled the feud between the BJP vs Trinamool Congress, and the latter targeted them tweeting, "'Bohiragato' are at it again! Union Home Minister @AmitShah is so ignorant of Bengal's culture that he insulted Bhagwan Birsa Munda by garlanding a wrong idol & placed his photo at someone else's foot. Will he ever respect Bengal?"

The saffron party after having a limited presence in the politically polarised state for decades has emerged as the main rival of the TMC in the last few years.

With the BJP's strength increasing in the state in the last few years, where it has never been in power, its leaders are upbeat that the party will end the TMC's 10-year-long rule in the assembly polls scheduled in April-May 2021.