Durga Puja inaugurations better led by achievers than politicians: Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh
Synopsis
In an unusual move, West Bengal Minister and senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has publicly urged puja committees to drop politicians as inauguration guests, favouring Padma awardees, monks, and unsung social workers instead — a deliberate break from the Trinamool Congress playbook of using Durga Puja committees as political platforms.
Key Takeaways
Dilip Ghosh , West Bengal's Panchayat Affairs Minister, said on 13 September that Durga Puja inaugurations should be led by social, academic, and intellectual achievers, not politicians.
Ghosh said he will personally not attend inauguration events of any community puja, especially those linked to a political personality.
He specifically recommended Padma awardees , monks, sports personalities, and unsung social workers as ideal inauguration figures.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya had earlier directed party leaders and ministers to refrain from puja committee events.
The stance is a pointed contrast to the previous TMC administration, whose heavyweight ministers were accused of controlling multiple puja committees simultaneously.
West Bengal Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh on Sunday, 13 September, said that Durga Puja inaugurations in the state should ideally be led by social, academic, and intellectual achievers rather than political personalities — a remark that carries particular weight given that Ghosh is himself a senior politician and former national vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
What Ghosh Said
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Ghosh stated he would personally not attend inauguration events of any community Durga Puja, particularly those linked with political figures. He argued that the puja committees should look beyond partisan affiliations when choosing who opens their festivals.
'The Padma awardees, I think, would be the best persons to inaugurate Durga Pujas. Achievers without any particular political loyalty would be the best persons to inaugurate a Puja. At the same time, acclaimed religious personalities like monks could also be involved in the inauguration process. At the same time, there are many unknown and unsung personalities who are working relentlessly in remote areas for public welfare. The puja committees could consider them by bringing them into the limelight by getting their pujas inaugurated by them, since they are the real examples to the society,' Ghosh said.
He also advocated for the inclusion of acclaimed sports personalities in puja inauguration ceremonies.
BJP's Directive to Leaders
Ghosh noted that the BJP's state leadership has already issued clear guidance on this matter. BJP state president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya had earlier instructed party leaders, elected representatives, and ministers to refrain from participating in different puja committee events. Bhattacharya also advised elected representatives to limit their association with puja committees strictly to those within their respective constituencies.
The Trinamool Pattern Being Rejected
Ghosh's remarks are a pointed contrast to the practices of the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration in West Bengal. During the TMC regime, heavyweight cabinet members were frequently accused of monopolising community Durga Puja committees, with individual leaders reportedly controlling multiple committees simultaneously. Critics argued this politicised a religious and cultural festival that draws participation from millions of Bengalis.
This comes amid a broader shift in the state's political culture following the change of government after the West Bengal Assembly elections. The BJP's deliberate distancing from puja committee politics appears designed to draw a contrast with its predecessor.
Why This Matters
Durga Puja is not merely a religious occasion in West Bengal — it is a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage and a festival that commands enormous public participation, sponsorship, and media attention. The question of who inaugurates major puja pandals carries social prestige and, often, political visibility. A ruling government's deliberate step back from this space is therefore a meaningful signal, whether seen as principled restraint or strategic repositioning ahead of future elections.
Notably, Ghosh himself is a two-term former BJP state president and has been one of the party's most prominent faces in West Bengal for over a decade. His publicly stated willingness to stay away from puja inaugurations lends the party's directive additional credibility.
What to Watch
Whether the BJP's rank and file in West Bengal will comply with the directive — especially given that puja committees represent significant local influence — remains to be seen as the Durga Puja 2026 season approaches.
Point of View
While also drawing a direct line of accountability to the TMC's decade-long stranglehold on puja committee patronage. What mainstream coverage may miss is that this is not purely principled — the BJP has historically used festival circuits for grassroots mobilisation in other states, and a blanket withdrawal from West Bengal's most important cultural event is a calculated risk. The real test is whether the directive holds at the ground level, where local BJP leaders have strong incentives to build committee ties. If it does, it could reshape how political parties across India engage with religious-cultural institutions — and that precedent matters well beyond Bengal.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Dilip Ghosh say about Durga Puja inaugurations?
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh said on 13 September 2026 that Durga Puja inaugurations should be led by social, academic, and intellectual achievers — such as Padma awardees, monks, and unsung social workers — rather than politicians. He also said he would personally not attend inauguration events linked to political figures.
What directive has the BJP given its leaders regarding Durga Puja?
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has instructed party leaders, elected representatives, and ministers to refrain from participating in different puja committee events. He also advised elected representatives to limit puja committee associations to their own constituencies.
Why is this seen as a break from the Trinamool Congress approach?
During the TMC administration, heavyweight cabinet ministers were accused of monopolising community Durga Puja committees, with individual leaders reportedly controlling several committees at the same time — a practice critics said politicised the religious and cultural festival. The BJP's directive is a deliberate departure from that model.
Who does Ghosh suggest should inaugurate Durga Pujas?
Ghosh recommended Padma awardees, acclaimed religious personalities like monks, sports personalities, and unsung social workers active in remote areas as the most appropriate figures to inaugurate Durga Puja events.
Why does the inauguration of Durga Puja matter politically?
Durga Puja is a UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage event in West Bengal that draws massive public participation and media attention. Inaugurating major pandals carries social prestige and political visibility, making puja committee ties a form of grassroots political currency in the state.
