BJP has raised objections over the preparation and distribution of prasad by shops allegedly owned by Muslims.
NEW DELHI: The Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again launched a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing it of hurting Hindu sentiments. This time, the controversy centres around the Jagannath Dham in Digha, where the BJP has raised objections over the preparation and distribution of prasad being carried out by shops allegedly owned by Muslims.
The issue has sparked a political storm, with the BJP’s entire state leadership accusing the TMC government of intentionally provoking and disrespecting Hindu beliefs. BJP’s central co-observer for Bengal and IT cell head Amit Malviya has made grave allegations against the Mamata Banerjee-led government, claiming that the sacred prasad of Lord Jagannath at the Digha Jagannath temple has been assigned to nonHindus—specifically Muslim— vendors.
Malviya took to social media to expose what he referred to as a blatant act of religious insensitivity and administrative negligence. On his official account on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Malviya shared a document listing several names, which he claimed belonged to Muslim sweet shop owners. He alleged that these names appeared in an official list related to the preparation of Gaja and Pera, which are being distributed as prasad for Lord Jagannath devotees.
Malviya criticised the Mamata Banerjee government for what he described as a systematic and intentional attempt to undermine Sanatan Dharma and hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. “Mamata Banerjee is trampling on Hindu sentiments with impunity in West Bengal,” Malviya wrote in a strongly worded post. Referring to the Suti 1 Block in Murshidabad district, he stated that the task of preparing and distributing Gaja and Pera—offered as sacred prasad to Lord Jagannath—had been assigned to sweet shops and ration dealers, a majority of whom, he said, were Muslims. He described this decision as not only deeply insensitive but also as a “deliberate provocation.”
Malviya emphasised that the incident was not merely an oversight but a targeted move against religious customs. “In Puri, even today, non-Hindus are not permitted to enter the Jagannath Temple because of the sacred traditions associated with the deity. Yet, in Mamata Banerjee’s Bengal, prasad for Lord Jagannath devotees is being prepared by individuals who do not even follow the faith,” he stated. Labelling the incident as “targeted sacrilege,” Malviya claimed that both Hindus and followers of Lord Jagannath have been “deeply hurt” by this violation of longstanding traditions and religious sanctity. He held the state government accountable, accusing it of knowingly inflicting emotional distress on the religious majority and fostering division through such controversial decisions.
Notably, the TMC government has taken the initiative to organise the distribution of Mahaprasad from the Jagannath Dham temple in Digha. Sharing the development on social media, the TMC posted on ‘X’, “Thanks to the gracious initiative of our Hon’ble Chief Minister, the divine Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath from Digha is now reaching households across Bengal. Devotees can collect their sacred Prasad box from the nearest ration shop.”