Kolkata, June 16 (IANS) Operation Sindoor — the recent cross-border military strike by Indian armed forces on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — will be the central theme of this year’s Durga Puja celebration at the popular Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata. The puja is organised by BJP leader and local councillor Sajal Ghosh.

Ghosh, councillor of Ward 50 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and chief organiser of the Santosh Mitra Square Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samiti, announced the theme through a post on social media.

Like in previous years, the committee has once again refused to accept the annual financial grant given by the West Bengal government to community puja organisers. Santosh Mitra Square was among the first Durga Puja committees in the state to reject the state’s monetary assistance, with Ghosh calling it a misuse of public funds at a time when the government struggles to meet essential civic expenses.

Last year, several other puja committees also declined the grant, citing public outrage over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata and the alleged cover-up attempts by sections of the administration.

In 2023, the puja’s theme was the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had attended the celebrations that year.

Santosh Mitra Square stands out as one of the few prominent Durga Pujas in West Bengal not controlled by the ruling Trinamool Congress. It is the only major puja in the state spearheaded by a BJP leader, and has matched TMC-led pujas in scale and public turnout.

The selection of Operation Sindoor as this year’s theme has already sparked political controversy. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently alleged that the name itself was politically motivated, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using it to “market sindoor” for electoral gains.

In response, BJP leaders accused the Chief Minister of echoing Pakistani narratives.

–IANS

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