West Bengal: Durga idol resembling CM Mamata Banerjee set up in theme-based Puja pandal

With few days before the Durga Puja celebrations commence, an idol resembling West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been installed in a theme-based pandal in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas. The pandal situated in the Nazrul Park Unnayan Samithi of Baguihati in Kolkata shows the idol of CM Banerjee with 10 hands depicting the schemes undertaken by the TMC government in the state.

The installation of a Durga idol resembling CM Mamata Banerjee earlier faced controversies after the organisers of the Durga Puja pandal committee took the decision. 

Talking about the idol, it has been constructed with fibreglass and sports white saree along with the logo of Biswa Bangla in the background. The theme artist spoke about the overall pandal and said that it took around 1.5 months to complete the overall pandal while maintaining the COVID-19 protocols in place. Also, the workers had to be convinced for working at the site. "We made sure that all of them have received their vaccines. Then only they agreed to come to work", he added.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has issued COVID-19 guidelines ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations. As per that, pandals need to be constructed in a spacious manner and should remain open from all sides. Also, special arrangements must be made for ensuring physical distancing among the visitors. Further, CM Mamata Banerjee has also urged the people to follow the COVID-19 guidelines while she was inaugurating Durga Puja pandals on Wednesday, October 6.

Durga idol resembling Mamata Banerjee sparks controversy

Earlier in the month of September, controversies erupted in West Bengal after the decision of putting up the idol resembling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Durga Puja pandals was taken. One of the most famous clay modellers Mintu Pal sculpted the fibreglass idol in Kumartuli maintaining all the trademark elements. 

However, this did not go well with the opposition BJP and it opposed the act for hurting the sensibilities of Hindus of the state. Speaking on the same, BJP's IT Department head, Amit Malviya took to Twitter and said, "This deification of Mamata Banerjee, who has blood of innocent Bengalis on her hand, following the gruesome post poll violence in Bengal, is nauseating. This is an insult to goddess Durga. Mamata Banerjee must stop this. She is hurting the sensibilities of Hindus of Bengal."

With agency inputs

Image: ANI