BJP national president JP Nadda offers prayers at a community ‘puja pandal’ during the Durga Puja celebrations, in Kolkata.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda on Saturday visited West Bengal and participated in the Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata and adjoining areas. While the BJP president did not make political comments, Mr. Nadda said that he would pray to the Goddess that “demonic forces” in the State and the country are defeated.
“Maa Durga vanquishes the demonic forces (asuri shakti), and angelic forces (sur shakti) emerge victorious. We pray to the Goddess that in Bengal, which is a land of culture, heritage, and religion, the demonic forces are defeated, and the forces of good prevail in the State, ensuring peace and prosperity,” the BJP president said while participating in Durga Puja pandal in Howrah.
Later in the day, Mr. Nadda visited the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja in Kolkata which is modelled on the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya. “We pray to the Goddess that we are granted the strength to defeat the demonic forces in the country, which promote corruption, dynasty politics, infiltration, undermine democracy, and weaken the nation,” the BJP president said at Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja.
Mr. Nadda lauded the efforts of the Durga Puja organisers at Santosh Mitra Square. “The Ram Mandir is in Ayodhya. However, the people of Kolkata have already celebrated the temple at Ayodhya through this Durga Puja pandal. I extend my congratulations to all of you for this remarkable effort,” Mr. Nadda said.
Earlier on October 9, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja in Kolkata and praised the organisers for giving people of Kolkata a peek into Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Durga Puja pandal at Santosh Mitra where BJP leader Sajal Ghosh is the chief patron, is drawing large crowds in Kolkata.