{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "BJP's Samik Bhattacharya sparks row in Kolkata by invoking 1946 riots ahead of Durga Puja",
  "summary": "BJP West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya's reference to the 1946 Kolkata riots while appealing for unity ahead of Durga Puja has triggered a sharp political backlash from the TMC and Congress.",
  "content": "Days before Durga Puja gets under way in West Bengal, a speech by BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has triggered a fresh political controversy in Kolkata. Speaking at a khunti puja event in the Bowbazar area of central Kolkata on Sunday, he invoked the 1946 Kolkata communal riots while appealing to residents to stay united so that the festive atmosphere around Durga Puja remains undisturbed.\n\nWhy did he bring up the 1946 riots?\nBhattacharya claimed that during the 1946 riots, the Gupta and Jaiswal communities had stood by the Bengali population and helped pull them back from the brink of devastation. He said these families had poured much of their wealth into procuring the iron needed to forge swords at the time, and argued that several of the genteel, well-established Bengali families of north Kolkata exist today because of that support. He further alleged that over the past several years, organising Durga Puja in parts of Bengal bordering Bangladesh had become an increasingly difficult undertaking.\n\nThe Murshidabad idol makers' deaths\nIn the same speech, Bhattacharya referred to the deaths of a father-son duo of idol artisans from Murshidabad, Hargobind Das and Chandan Das. He alleged the two were killed allegedly because of their skill in sculpting idols of Kali, Saraswati and Lakshmi. He also repeated his claim that under the Trinamool Congress government, the administration itself used to decide the timing and manner of Durga idol immersions, which he said undercut the autonomy of puja committees.\n\nOpposition parties hit back\nThe remarks drew sharp reactions from opposition camps. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP leader of insulting Bengalis, saying the community has its own cultural traditions, a legacy tied to the freedom movement, and a distinct identity of its own. West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar warned that such comments could damage Kolkata's shared heritage, and the party dismissed the statement as being politically motivated. CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty called Bhattacharya's claims contrary to historical facts and termed them irresponsible.\n\nWhat changes at the pandals this year\nBhattacharya also assured the gathering that this year, people would be able to visit puja pandals without facing closed gates or traffic restrictions. He added that the BJP would never support any attempt to remove committees that have been organising Durga Puja for years, if such a move were made purely for political reasons.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis row does not hit your wallet directly, but it can shape both Bengal's politics and how your festive season plays out if you live there.\n\n• Across India: The remarks show that communal history and community-based narratives are re-entering Bengal's electoral politics. Expect more such statements in the coming months, which are worth tracking as the political temperature rises.\n• In Kolkata and West Bengal: Bhattacharya says pandal-hoppers this year will not face closed gates or traffic restrictions. If you are visiting Kolkata for Durga Puja, expect an easier, less restricted movement around pandals this time.\n• For puja committees: The BJP has said it will not back any attempt to remove long-running puja committees for political reasons, offering some reassurance to organisers who have run these events for years.\n• For residents of border areas: The questions raised over organising Durga Puja in districts bordering Bangladesh could fuel further debate over local administration and security arrangements there.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Where did Samik Bhattacharya make this statement?\nHe made it on Sunday at a khunti puja event in the Bowbazar area of central Kolkata.\n\n2. What role did he say the Gupta and Jaiswal families played in the 1946 riots?\nHe claimed these families helped Bengalis during the riots and spent their wealth procuring iron needed to make swords.\n\n3. Which Murshidabad idol makers did he refer to?\nFather-son duo Hargobind Das and Chandan Das, who Bhattacharya said were killed for their skill in making idols of Kali, Saraswati and Lakshmi.\n\n4. How did the Trinamool Congress respond?\nSpokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused Bhattacharya of insulting Bengalis.\n\n5. What did Congress and CPM say?\nCongress called it politically motivated, while CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty termed it contrary to historical facts.\n\n6. What will change at puja pandals this year?\nAccording to Bhattacharya, people will be able to visit pandals this year without closed gates or traffic restrictions.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/politics/bahubajara-men-samik-bhattacharya-ke-1946-vale-bayana-se-macha-siyasi-ghamasana-tmc-boli-apamana-28818",
  "category": "Politics",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-07",
  "tags": [
    "Samik Bhattacharya",
    "BJP West Bengal",
    "Durga Puja",
    "1946 Kolkata riots",
    "Trinamool Congress",
    "Murshidabad idol makers killing"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}