Mamata Banerjee's 'idol' to share space with Durga in Kolkata pandal; sparks controversy

The BJP called the move "nauseating"

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ ITDC NEWS A controversy has erupted in West Bengal over the organisers of a Durga puja deciding to put up an idol of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at their marquee alongside Goddess Durga's, provoking angry reactions from the opposition BJP which called the move "nauseating" and one that hurt the sensibilities of Hindus of the state.

Famous clay modeller Mintu Pal is sculpting the fibreglass idol at his Kumartuli studio draping the "deity" in the TMC chief's favourite white coloured tant saree and her trademark flip-flop slippers to boot.

"I have studied photos and videos of honorable CM as reference point. The way she walks, speaks, interacts with the public, while moulding the face of the idol," Pal told PTI on Friday.

The ten hands of the deity, instead of holding weapons, will have depiction of projects like Kanyashree, Swastha Sathi, Rupashree, Sabujsathi and Lakshmir Bhandar among others. The organisers, he said, want to tell people about the various universally acclaimed development projects launched by her government.

The BJP is, however, not amused.

"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," wrote the party's IT department head Amit Malviya on Twitter.

Banerjee's Nandigram nemesis Suvendu Adhikari also saw red.

"When someone tries to elevate you to God's stature only to please you & your silence indicates consent, it means your ego has reached a point where conscience can't hold it accountable," he wrote on the microblogging website.

Next to the fibreglass idol, a clay image of Durga and her progeny will be kept for worship.

"The entire pandal will be themed on Lakshmir Bhandar," an organiser of the puja by Unnayan Samithi Club at Keshtopur in northern part of city said. Lakshmir Bhandar is an income support scheme launched by the government under which the female heads of a household will get an assistance of Rs 500-1,000 a month.