Kolkata, Feb 18 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to participate in a religious function at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple at Mayapur in West Bengal’s Nadia district later in the day and also address a gathering on the occasion.

However, insiders from the West Bengal unit of the BJP said that, considering the religious fervour of the programme, the Union Minister is unlikely to make any direct political statement while delivering his address on the occasion.

“The main reason behind the Union Home Minister’s Mayapur visit is to attend the religious congregation on the occasion of the 152nd holy appearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, the 19th-century Vaishnav revivalist and founder of the Gaudiya Math. Since the entire programme throughout the day at ISKCON temple, Mayapur, is based on that auspicious occasion, the Union Home Minister is likely to avoid making direct political speeches at the programme, despite his visit coming ahead of the Assembly elections in the state,” a state committee member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal said.

As per the schedule, the Union Home Minister will arrive at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and from there he will directly fly by a special chopper to Mayapur. The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and a couple of other state BJP leaders will accompany him to Mayapur.

After landing at around 2.25 p.m., he will reach the ISKCON temple premises by a golf cart.

As per the schedule provided by the BJP, after arriving at the temple, he will pay tribute at the statue of ISKCON founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Thereafter, he will participate in several religious functions like Narsingh Puja, Panchayatana Puja, and Ashtasakhi Puja, among others.

At around 3 p.m., the Union Home Minister will arrive at the main dais of the programme, and as per the schedule, his speech on the occasion will start at 3.20 p.m. “Although it is unlikely to make any direct political speech on the occasion, all eyes and ears will be on his speech to see whether he gives any subtle message or not,” said a state committee member of the BJP.

–IANS

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