West Bengal | How Mamata Banerjee’s blend of saffron politics has outfoxed BJP

Rattled by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s own blend of saffron politics, the state BJP unit is now opposing construction of a temple by the state government, terming it unconstitutional.

The remarkable volte face comes after the TMC government took its temple politics to a new peak, constructing at the coastal town of Digha a Jagannath temple modelled on the lines of the iconic shrine in Puri, one of the four most important pilgrimage centres (dhams) for Hindus.

The grand temple is almost ready and is scheduled to be consecrated on Akshaya Tritiya (April 30, 2025), a day considered auspicious by Hindus for commencing any new project.

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Mamata’s Hindu outreach

The state government has already spent around Rs 250 crore for the temple being built on 20 acres of land.

Pandering to religion is an integral part of TMC’s politics. The TMC government has generously loosened its purse strings to pay monthly allowance to Muslim clerics and Hindu priests, grant to Durga Puja committees and renovate and build temples across Bengal.

Initially, the religious largesse was limited to granting monthly allowance to Imams and muezzins. But after the BJP started making inroads in the state, piggy riding on its Hindutva vessel, Banerjee has gone on an all-out Hindu outreach to blunt the BJP’s allegations of minority appeasement against her.

It spent around Rs 60 crore for constructing a skywalk and other rejuvenation works at Dakshineswar Kali temple. Similar revamps of Tarapith, Tarakeswar, Madan Mohan, Debi Chaudhurani, Loknath Baba and many other temples were also done by the state government spending several crores of rupees. For the ongoing renovation of the 200-year-old Kalighat temple alone, the state is spending around Rs 165 crore.

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Revamping religious places

According to the chief minister’s own estimate, the state has spent over Rs 700 crore for the beautification and revamp of religious places. This also includes the Islamic shrine Furfura Sharif and St Andrews Church in Darjeeling.

The Jagannath Temple in Digha is Mamata’s biggest temple push so far. In the context of state politics, its significance is not much less than the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. After all, Bengali Hindus are greater devotees of Lord Jagannath than Ram. Puri’s Jagannath temple has a historic connection with Bengal, something that Ayodhya cannot claim.

Mamata’s blending of Hinduism with the generous dollop of Bengali-regional identity has so far proved to be an effective antidote to BJP’s Hindutva politics.

Moreover, this temple is built in East Midnapore district, one of the only few remaining pockets in the state where the BJP still has a strong support base. It is also the home district of Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari.

BJP takes a dig at TMC regime

Finding itself being outmanoeuvred in its own game, the BJP has become a vocal critic of Banerjee's temple project.

Taking a dig at the TMC government for using public funds for construction of a religious structure, Adhikari threatened to organise a mass gathering in Digha to highlight his objections to the project. He went on to allege that the TMC government is politicising faith for electoral gains.

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“The West Bengal government floated a tender under Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), in the name of ‘Construction of Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra at Digha.’ As per the state government’s document, it's a cultural centre, not a temple. As per our Constitution, no government is allowed to spend its money on religious places…. Mamata Banerjee is a liar,” Adhikari was quoted as saying by the media.

The BJP leader claimed that it was only after the Ram Temple was constructed in Ayodhya that Banerjee came up with the idea to construct the Jagannath temple to garner support of the Hindu community. He further stated that the structure is not a replica of Puri shrine as Hindu religious dhams cannot be replicated. “It is a political gimmick,” he added.

New addition to cultural heritage

The state government, however, defended the project saying it would be a new addition to “Bengal’s cultural heritage” and it would be “different and unique.”

“Happy to announce that, as in Puri, we in West Bengal are also erecting a pride-inspiring temple complex for Lord Jagannath at Digha. The Lord, Balabhadra and Subhadra will be worshipped here too, Ratha Yatra also will be celebrated,” the chief minister posted on X after her visit to the construction site to inspect the work progress earlier this week.

Another astute move of Mamata that appears to have caught the BJP off-guard is the presence of ISKCON Kolkata vice-president Radharamn Das during Banerjee’s visit to the temple site.

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ISKCON functionary on board

The chief minister announced the inclusion of Das as one of the members of the trustee board of the soon-to-be inaugurated temple.

The move has a political connotation as the BJP is trying to whip up Hindu sentiments in Bengal over the targeting of ISKCON in Bangladesh.

“I am ashamed to see ISKCON Kolkata vice-president Radharamn Das remaining mute beside Mamata Banerjee when she was undermining the Hindu faith,” Adhikari told reporters.

Incidentally, Das as a spokesperson of the ISKCON Kolkata is very vocal on social media as well as on local television channels regarding the alleged atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh.