Place PM’s photo near Goddess Durga’s feet during Puja for blessings, says Delhi CM, courts row

Speaking to the committee members, Gupta said, “Hamare Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi ji ka janamdin bhi hai 17 September ko. Hum chahte hai iss baar Dilli unke janamdin ko Sewa Pakhwada ke roop mai manaye. Toh 17 September se lekar 2 October tak, Dilli mai anekon seva ke kaam kiye jayenge. Main ye chahti hoon ki hamare Durga puja ke pandalon mai bhi din ke samaye aap koi na koi… seva ka kaam jaroor janta ke liye kijiye. Adarniya Pradhan Mantri ki lambi aayu aur swastha ke liye, zaroor wahan pe unki tasveer Ma ke charno ke paas laga kar unko ashirwaad zaroor dilaiye. (Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday is also on September 17. We want that this time Delhi celebrates his birthday as a Seva Pakwada. So, from September 17 to October 2, many works of service will be done in Delhi. I want that you also do some act of service in Durga Puja pandals during the day. For the PM’s long life and health, definitely place his photo near the Ma’s feet and get him blessings).”

Her statement drew sharp reactions from the AAP, with its Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleging that the BJP wanter to buy “Bengali pride”. “Will Bengali brothers and sisters have to worship PM Modi along with Maa Durga… 1,200 units of free electricity means the BJP government wants to buy Bengali pride and faith for Rs 12,000,” he said.

Rejecting Bharadwaj’s allegations as “political opportunism”, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “Delhiites are well aware how Kejriwal government forced various Puja Samitis to put up banners and portraits of Kejriwal, Sisodia and local MLAs. It is shocking to see AAP trying to make an issue out of CM Rekha Gupta’s request to religious samitis to pray for PM’s good health.”

MoS Education, BJP’s Sukanta Majumdar, meanwhile, said the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal was misleading people. “TMC is claiming that Rekhaji said that only those puja committees that will keep Modiji’s idol will get such advantages. This is completely false. Her appeal was that since our Prime Minister will complete 75 years during puja, if they place his photo at Ma Durga’s feet, he would get blessings. Trinamool Congress distorted her statement,” he added.