Kolkata, Sep 27 (IANS) The organiser of the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja in central Kolkata, inaugurated on Thursday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has alleged that Kolkata Police are deliberately restricting visitors’ entry to the puja pavilion.

BJP Councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Santosh Mitra Square puja organizer in central Kolkata, Sajal Ghosh, wrote on his social media handle, “The plan to stop the puja is final. Public opinion is the only way.”

The BJP leader alleged a conspiracy to stop the puja at Santosh Mitra Square. He alleged that the police and political leaders are behind it. He said the police have barricaded the entire Sealdah station premises, and that it was done intentionally.

“Due to this, visitors are not able to come to this puja pavilion, and cars are not able to enter that area,” he said.

He alleged that the police deliberately made this attempt to thwart people coming to the pandal and turn them away from the pavilion and take another route.

Sajal Ghosh said, “The entire area has been barricaded. People are not able to come from any part of Sealdah Station. Only those who can break through the barricades can enter the pavilion. The police will not close the madap but are forcing us to close it.”

The Santosh Mitra Square puja committee was one of the first puja committees to refuse the Durga Puja grant provided by the West Bengal government.

This year, the puja committee has unveiled ‘Operation Sindoor’ as its theme, which has drawn praise from the people.

According to Ghosh, it is the vendetta of the ruling Trinamool Congress to stop people from coming to his pandal, as it highlights the achievements of the central government in tackling cross-border terrorism and giving Pakistan a befitting reply through Operation Sindoor.

Earlier, it had created Ram Mandir as its puja theme in 2023. The Union Home Minister had inaugurated the puja that year and lauded Ghosh’s effort to build the puja mandap as a replica of the temple in Ayodhya.

–IANS

sch/skp