Kolkata, Oct. 26 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said that while festivals belong to everyone, individuals must take responsibility for protecting their faith. He made the remarks at the state government's scaled-down Bijoya Sammilani at Milan Mela.
Adhikari said he would visit Delhi on Tuesday for talks on Ganga erosion in Malda, which has displaced many people. He said the Centre and the Bihar government had already been informed, adding that inadequate dredging had worsened the situation.
Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia remain vulnerable, and urgent steps are needed to check the erosion, he said. The state chief secretary has already visited the affected areas and will also attend the meeting in Delhi.
The event at Milan Mela began with a one-minute silence for the victims of the recent Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal stampede, with Adhikari firmly dismissing conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy.
Terming the incident a result of "human error," Adhikari promised strict action against those found guilty.
"I will not bring in conspiracy theories, nor will I downplay the incident. The probe is underway, and the government will not shield anyone responsible for this lapse," he said. He said that for the sake of impartiality, the SIT was formed and, after the SIT report is submitted, it will be made public.
Taking a dig at the previous regime, the Adhikari alleged that earlier administrations engaged in "appeasement" by restricting microphone usage and dictating immersion routes in specific areas. Highlighting a shift in governance, he noted that no such restrictions were imposed this year.
"Out of 66,000 Pujas across the state, no major untoward incident was reported except for the unfortunate lapse at Chorbagan. This marks the true changing face of West Bengal," Adhikari added.
Responding to opposition criticism regarding the admission of stampede victims to private hospitals, the CM defended the move by pointing to the historical decline of state healthcare infrastructure over the last 15 years. He emphasised that the government chose quality care over institutional "ego," ensuring injured citizens received the best possible treatment.
"I could save 25 lives by shifting the patients", the CM said.
"The quality of the Medical College in the past 49 years had declined, and we want to make it numero uno, but it will take time. Some anti-nationals in the medical college are trying to create trouble; I don't want to comment", Adhikari said.
Adhikari announced that the judicial inquiry committee's safety recommendations would be published as a guidebook for all Puja committees to prevent future mishaps.
Furthermore, he shared plans to elevate the Gangasagar Mela to an international level with enhanced pilgrim security. He also welcomed the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, scheduled to be held in Kolkata on January 8 and 9, which will be graced by President Droupadi Murmu. The CM is slated to review crowd management and emergency preparedness for the upcoming Kali Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja and Chhath Puja on October 28.
District magistrates (DMs), superintendents of police (SPs) and other senior administrative officials from several districts are expected to join the meeting through video conferencing, officials reportedly stated. "Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will review the preparations for Kali Puja and Chhath Puja at a meeting at the state secretariat on Wednesday. Emphasis will be laid on crowd management, security and emergency preparedness," a senior official said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.