Kolkata: Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has challenged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims about a proposed Jagannath temple in Digha being modelled after Puri’s iconic Srimandir. He also demanded answers from the Bengal CM as to why the temple has been named as ‘Shree Shree Jagannath Mandir’ in official documents and being referred to as ‘Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre.’
In a post on X, the leader has also shared the image of a stone plaque at the Puri temple’s entrance displayed in five languages, including restrictions on entry of non-Hindus. Adhikari has insisted that Digha’s temple should adopt similar entry rules.
The Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of the most revered Hindu temples in India and part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, restricts entry to Hindus only. Non-Hindus are generally not allowed inside the temple premises, particularly beyond the outer areas like the “kodimaram” (flagpole) or the main sanctum sanctorum.
মাননীয়া মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় মহাশয়া, গতকাল বিধানসভায় আপনি দিঘার জগন্নাথ 'মন্দির' নিয়ে আমাকে চ্যালেঞ্জ ছুঁড়েছেন ও আমার "বুকের পাটা" সংক্রান্ত মন্তব্য করার ঔদ্ধত্য দেখিয়েছেন।
যেহেতু আপনি দাবি করছেন যে, সনাতন ধর্মের অন্যতম পীঠস্থান; পুরীর জগন্নাথ ধামের অনুকরণ করে… pic.twitter.com/y0xBqgoc8v
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) February 19, 2025
“On Tuesday, the Chief Minister questioned my courage in questioning her claims about the proposed temple at Digha which she claims to have been modelled after the iconic temple at Puri. Now, I challenge her to answer my questions regarding her claims on this count,” Adhikari mentioned in a statement on Wednesday.
He further added that Banerjee had questioned his courage, and therefore, he wanted to remind her that in the 2021 Assembly elections, he contested against her from Nandigram constituency and also defeated her by 1,956 votes.
