On Friday (July 29), a Durga Mandir was found blocked and barricaded in Kaliachak town in Malda district of West Bengal. The development came a day before the Islamic month of Muharram.
In a tweet, BJP Bengal karyakarta Amit Thakur wrote, “This Shocking Image Is From Kaliachak,Malda West Bengal Where Durga Mandir was blocked for Muharram procession. This is the condition of Hindu’s in West Bengal. Why No seculars of I.N.D.I.A Talking about it.”
His tweet was accompanied with a picture of a Hindu temple named ‘Kaliachak Thana Sharbajanin Durga Mandir‘, the entrace of which was blocked by bamboo fences.
This Shocking Image Is From Kaliachak,Malda West Bengal Where Durga Mandir was blocked for Muharram procession 😌
— Amit Thakur 🇮🇳 (@Amit_Thakur_BJP) July 28, 2023
This is the condition of Hindu's in West Bengal.
Why No seculars of I.N.D.I.A Talking about it 👇@ExSecular @MrSinha_ @rose_k01 pic.twitter.com/Ov0AL73BG6
While speaking about the matter, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya accused the West Bengal police of barricading the Durga temple on behest of the Mamata Banerjee government. “West Bengal police blocks and barricades Durga Mandir in Kaliachak on the eve of Muharram,” he tweeted.
Amit Malviya further added, “This is Mamata Bannerjee’s brand of secularism, which demeans and denigrates Hindus, who have been reduced to second grade citizens under her administration.”
“It also shows her inability to handle law and order. Such partisan approach of the Chief Minister, shreds social cohesiveness and widens fault lines. Her politics thrives on it,” he emphasised.
West Bengal police blocks and barricades Durga Mandir in Kaliachak on the eve of Muharram.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 29, 2023
This is Mamata Bannerjee’s brand of secularism, which demeans and denigrates Hindus, who have been reduced to second grade citizens under her administration. It also shows her inability to… pic.twitter.com/mEAeEByN0D
West Bengal BJP MLA (Nandigram) Suvendu Adhikari also did not mince any words before lambasting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.
“I bet no Muharram Organising Committee of that area could have demanded such a step which would offend the Sanatanis. This is purely “Hyperactiveness” of the WBPolice. In Mamata Banerjee’s dictionary “Secularism” is synonymous with ‘Vote Bank Politics’,” he emphasised.
“That’s why her administration suffers from “hyperactivity disorder” during religious festivals and they generally end up doing something which tends to hurt the sentiments of the Sanatanis, ” he pointed out.
This shocking visual has emerged from Kaliachak, Malda district; West Bengal, wherein a Durga Temple has been blocked & barricaded by the Police on the eve of Muharram.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) July 29, 2023
I bet no Muharram Organising Committee of that area could have demanded such a step which would offend the… pic.twitter.com/r4yi5L6vwb
While requesting the immediate intervention of the Chief Secretary, Suvendu Adhikari said, “Mamata Banerjee has been wilfully building barricades and driving wedges among the two Communities for petty political gains. She is trying to create discord and sabotage the harmony among the two Communities.”
He later informed that the barricades were removed from outside the Durga Mandir in Kaliachak town of Malda.
Thank you Mr. Chief Secretary for your prompt response by immediately removing the barricade from the entrance of the Durga Temple at Kaliachak.@chief_west@ANI @PTI_News @republic @IndiaToday @TimesNow @CNNnews18 @htTweets @timesofindia @the_hindu @indiatvnews @ABPNews @ndtv… https://t.co/1cHTjxWblH pic.twitter.com/sIAC8GqA05
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) July 29, 2023
Meanwhile, several social media users have claimed that the barricades were put up by members of the Hindu community, anticipating a law and order situation during Muharram.
Hindus put barricades infront of Maa Durga temple before Muharram procession in Kaliachak, Malda . Muslim population in Malda is more than 51 percent according to 2011 census data pic.twitter.com/IVp1nwcPHL
— Subham. (@subhsays) July 28, 2023
It must be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee imposed restrictions on the immersion of Durga idol in 2016 and 2017 to make way for Muharram processions.
