West Bengal Chief Minister on Thursday used the occasion of Mahalaya, which signals the ushering in of Durga Puja, to reiterate her commitment towards the people of her state. It was also a way for Mamata to further banish earlier rumours of a government ban on celebrations amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Mamata, her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and other Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders took a pledge (termed a "Mahalaya Protishruti") to serve the community by bringing the joys of Durga Puja to those who have had to battle the twin crises of COVID-19 and Cyclone Amphan.
“On the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya, I extend my warm regards to one and all. Although COVID-19 has restricted how we celebrate festivals, we shall not allow it to dampen the spirit of this Durga Puja. To this end and to lighten up every home, I undertake Mahalaya Protishruti," read Mamata Banerjee’s tweet.
The second part of the tweet speaks about extending a helping hand to those in need.
A similar tweet was put out by Abhishek Banerjee and fifteen other MLAs, including ministers like Chandrima Bhattacharya, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Shashi Panja who took the pledge.
While the lockdown has been almost lifted, the fear of the coronavirus still looms large and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) wants people to partake in the festivities. This is also seen as a chance to gain brownie points ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.
A week ago Mamata had said she would do 100 sit ups if it were proved that the state government had said that Durga Puja celebrations will not take place, a rumour that the Chief Minister wanted to quell.
