Purba Medinipur (West Bengal) [India], April 30 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attended the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Jagannath Temple in Digha.

Later, in a post on X, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the first glimpse of Lord Jagannath enshrined in the temple.

https://x.com/MamataOfficial/status/1917527036744327464

'A moment to be cherished forever. The first glimpse of Lord Jagannath enshrined in the Garbhagriha of the Jagannath Temple in Digha will remain etched in my heart. I felt my spirit stir with the divine radiance emanating from the sacred idol. I had the privilege of performing the aarati and invoking the blessings of the Lord of the Universe upon our Ma, Mati, Manush,' CM Banerjee said on X.

On April 27, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was trying to win the upcoming state Assembly elections by 'climbing on the shoulders' of Lord Jagannath.

'Police did not reach Murshidabad for 4 hours, and because of this, Chandan and Hargobind Das were killed. On one side, you are killing Hindus, and on the other side, you are constructing temples. Constructing temples or mosques is not the job of the government. For the Ayodhya Ram temple, funds were raised by the people. For the Jagannath Temple in Digha, people should raise funds. Why does the state government have to get involved in this? Mamata Banerjee is trying to win the elections by climbing on the shoulders of Lord Jagannath,' Majumdar told reporters.

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari had blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the 'migration' of Hindu families from Murshidabad.

Adhkari, while speaking to ANI, criticised the TMC-led West Bengal government over the new Jagannath temple in Digha, alleging that Mamata Banerjee is anti-Hindu and is responsible for Hindus' migration from Murshidabad.

'Mamata Banerjee is a fake Hindu. Do not mislead Hindu people. The Hindus make Hindu temples. Mamata Banerjee is anti-Hindu. Because of her, the Hindu people of Murshidabad are migrating from here,' Adhikari said.

Violence erupted on April 11 in Murshidabad, a Muslim-majority district, during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The protest turned violent, resulting in two deaths, several injuries, and property damage. Thousands of people fled their homes in search of safety.

The protest later spread to other districts, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, where incidents of arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades were reported. (ANI)