Shah Prays for BJP Win to Build 'Sonar Bangla'

Shah was in the city on a brief tour during which he inaugurated two Durga Pujas pandals, and visited Kalighat Temple to pray to Goddess Kali.

Opening the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja, patronised by BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh and themed on Operation Sindoor, Shah said, “I have just worshipped Maa at this pandal. I also prayed to Maa for the formation of such a government after the polls which can build Sonar Bangla here.”

He added, “Our Bengal should become safe, progressive, peaceful and prospective again. We must be able to build a dream Bengal of Kaviguru (Rabindranath Tagore).” Mr Shah also paid tribute to famous Bengali educationist Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar on his birth anniversary and mourned the loss of ten lives in the unprecedented rain in the city earlier this week.

His comments immediately earned him a strong reaction from the ruling Trinamul Congress with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee wondering why BJP could not do the same in those states it has already been in power.

Banerjee said, “He speaks of creating a Sonar Bangla. Then why don’t you ask him: two days ago in Patna, a main road caved in and cars collapsed in the void. Why weren't they able to make Sonar Bihar? Bridges collapse every other day in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Why not Sonar Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and Jharkhand?”

He alleged, “They even use Bengal’s bridges as examples in UP, then why couldn't they build a Sonar Bridge in UP in the last seven years? The money they collect from Bengal is being used in their own states. Were they able to create a Sonar UP, MP, or Gujarat?”

Referring to Shah's respect for Vidyasagar, the TMC national general secretary pointed out the vandalism of the icon’s statue by BJP workers in the city some years ago and claimed, “People of Bengal gave a befitting response to those who came from outside, forced North Indian culture on us and broke Vidyasagar’s statue.”

He argued, “I felt deeply saddened that someone who came to inaugurate a puja pandal just 10 minutes away was not even aware that today is the 205th birth anniversary of Vidyasagar. He did not have the courtesy to visit Vidyasagar’s house or Vidyasagar College to pay his respects. This is why we call them Bangla-Birodhi. People have seen it before and they will see it again.”

Banerjee also observed, “Our political battles will continue, but the way they insult Bengal’s stalwarts cannot be forgotten. They don’t know where Rabindranath Tagore was born. They mispronounce Panchanan Barma. They are unaware of the contributions of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy or Khudiram Bose. We do not need to learn about Bengal’s culture from them. The person inaugurating a Durga Puja pandal today is the same person who said five years ago that there are no Durga Pujas in Bengal.”