The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal authorities’s initiative to distribute “prasad” from the newly-built Digha Jagannath temple has sparked a row with the principal Opposition BJP accusing Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee of “politicising” the Rath Yatra pageant to woo the Hindu neighborhood within the run-up to the state Meeting elections slated for early 2026.
The BJP, which has constantly attacked Mamata for allegedly indulging in “minority appeasement”, has now accused her authorities of resorting to “halal prasad” and “misuse of state funds and equipment” for its prasad distribution drive.
The TMC authorities has launched a door-to-door distribution of prasad from the Digha Jagannath dham to over 10.4 million households throughout the state.
Final Friday, the TMC, in an X publish, mentioned: “On the gracious initiative of Smt. @MamataOfficial, the divine Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath from Digha is now reaching houses throughout Bengal. From right this moment till twenty seventh June, you may accumulate your sacred Prasad field out of your nearest ration store.”
Every prasad field comprises a Jagannath picture and two conventional sweets, peda and gaja. The price of the 2 sweets is Rs 20 being borne by the state authorities, which has additionally supplied extra funds for its packaging and distribution. The prasad has been ready by mixing “khoa” provided to the deities of the Digha Jagannath temple with extra “khoa” from native candy outlets on the district stage throughout the state, sources mentioned.
The TMC authorities is utilizing its intensive “Duare Ration” (ration at doorstep) community to make sure peasad’s door-to-door supply, which beginning on June 17 would proceed until July 4.
The bins and pictures have been provided to the districts from Kolkata, with the federal government issuing directives to the district administrations to make sure a seamless distribution of prasad. The block officers and municipalities have been directed to pick clear halls, banquets, or storage locations for receiving, storing and assembling the prasad bins for dispatch. The self-help teams (SHGs) together with another missions have been roped within the packaging course of, sources mentioned, including that the TMC’s leaders and public representatives are additionally concerned in guaranteeing statewide supply of prasad.
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The BJP has gone all out to counter Mamata’s transfer. On Wednesday, Chief of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari introduced a parallel initiative, saying that prasad from the Jagannath temple in Puri might be distributed to the general public from a temple in Tamluk city for 5 days from the Rath Yatra pageant scheduled on June 27.
Each Tamluk and Digha are located within the Purba Medinipur district, which is Suvendu’s residence turf, the place he even defeated Mamata within the Nandigram constituency within the 2021 Meeting polls by 1,956 votes.
State BJP president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar additionally attacked the TMC’s initiative, alleging that “Mamata Banerjee has turned Rath into politics. She is attempting to behave as Hindu. I perceive her concern for her Jagannath dham however what she has finished to cease vandalism of temples in Samserganj (in Murshidabad throughout current riots there), or what she is doing to make sure it received’t be repeated in future.”
On Suvendu’s prasad distribution programme, Majumdar mentioned, “If somebody needs to distribute prasad, what’s hurt in that. Now we have objection with Digha as a result of they are saying it’s a cultural centre and never temple and is attempting to do politics over this. She (Mamata) is distributing halal prasad — is it acceptable?”
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Majumdar’s “halal prasad” barb stems from the BJP’s allegation that Muslim candy outlets in Murshidabad have been assigned the duty of making ready sweets for the prasad there.
BJP chief Amit Malviya alleged in an X publish: “Mamata Banerjee is trampling on Hindu sentiments with impunity in West Bengal! Within the Suti 1 Block of Murshidabad district, candy outlets and ration sellers — majority of them Muslim — have reportedly been entrusted with the preparation and distribution of Gaja and Pera, that are being labelled as Prabhu Jagannath Dev’s sacred prasad. This isn’t simply administrative carelessness. This can be a deliberate provocation….”
Bengal BJP normal secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay alleged monetary irregularities within the authorities’s initiative, saying “TMC authorities within the title of Jagannath prasad is distributing one gaja and pera for 42 crore rupees. There isn’t any planning on the workers’ DA; lecturers’ jobs are unsure. Group C and Group D staff’ allowances have stopped. Authorities is in a monetary disaster… Extra shocking is that HIDCO is doing it.”
The Digha Jagannath temple, a reproduction of the long-lasting Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri, has been constructed by the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Growth Company (WBHIDCO), a state-run city planning physique. The Digha Jagannath temple was inaugurated by Mamata on April 30. She can also be set to attend the Rath Yatra in Digha on June 27.
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Hitting again on the BJP for focusing on the Digha temple and the prasad distribution, the TMC slammed it for being allegedly “anti-Hindu”. The occasion additionally accused Suvendu and Majumdar of allegedly “insulting Hindu sentiments”.
The prasad row clearly appears to have mirrored the rising polarisation of Bengal politics forward of the Meeting polls. “Whereas the TMC is attempting to counter the BJP’s ‘appeasement’ narrative towards it, the BJP is aiming to consolidate Hindu votes. Each the rivals are utilizing prasad distribution as a part of their face-off to realize an edge earlier than the 2026 elections,” mentioned an observer.
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