Bhubaneswar: Amid row over the newly-inaugurated temple in neighbouring Digha, Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday lambasted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her anti-Hindu and against Lord Jagannath devotees.
“She is an anti-Hindu CM. She is perennially angry. Mamata is sailing in two boats. She does not have the courage to call a spade a spade. Democracy is murdered almost every day in Bengal. There have been attacks on Lord Jagannath’s devotees in Bengal. Illegal Bangladeshi migrants are being settled there and provided with Voter ID and ration cards in vote bank politics,” he told reporters when asked about the #boycottpuritourism trend on X.
Pujari also accused her of attempting to create an alternative for Shreekhetra by using the term “Jagannath Dham” for the Digha temple, a name traditionally and scripturally associated with the 12th-century Puri shrine, one of Hinduism’s four holiest pilgrimage sites.
Earlier in the day, the Bengal government had quietly removed the misleading ‘Jagannath Dham’ signage at Digha even as Mamata was seen questioning the ‘anger’ over the issue.
Also Read: Bengal Govt Removes Misleading ‘Dham’ Signage At Digha Amid Protests In Odisha
Also Read: Why So Much Anger, Asks Mamata Banerjee Amid Row Over Digha ‘Jagannath Dham’
This came a day after the Odisha government said it intended to send a letter to Bengal CM, requesting her to stop using “Jagannath Dham” for the Digha temple.
Lord Jagannath devotees in Odisha also ran campaigns against the misrepresentation while asserting that Jagannath Dham is in Puri and not Digha.
An X user, Bengal Warrior, soon started #boycottpuritourism trend only to evoke some hilarious response from people of Odisha.
Check the reactions here:
Yes, pls go ahead & #BoycottPuriTourism. Ur community has done enough damage fm littering our sacred places to turning serene spots into dumping grounds
And now, u r dragging ur dirty politics to our workplaces too
Give Odisha the space and respect it deserves to breathe & thrive https://t.co/9Wjnygf7r1— Himansu_Surgical🇮🇳 (@showdown_pz) May 4, 2025
I feel the unnecessary controversy of #JagannathDham has been created by #MamataBanerjee to create rift between hindus in Odisha and West Bengal. And this will benefit her politically. Those netizens calling for #boycottpuritourism are fools of highest order. 😂😂😂
— khujliwaladoc (@getingunderskin) May 5, 2025
@BENGALWARIOR ତୁମେ ନ ଆସିଲେ *”ପୁରୀ”* ସଫା ରହିବ। *#ବଙ୍ଗାଲି_ଛେଲେ 😡
— ADITYA RANJAN PATTANAYAK (@adityapattanay4) May 5, 2025
Ame bi full support karuchu e campaign ku.
😁😁🙏🏻🙏🏻#BoycottPuri #BoycottBhubaneswar#BoycottCuttack— ନିଧି ଅଜା (@nidhi_budha) May 4, 2025
Yes please . I really respect Bengali sentiments. #Jaibangla #Boycottpuri #BoycottAiims https://t.co/opYObHAmo9
— Pratyush Nanda (@PratyushNanda19) May 4, 2025
