kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata, September 23: West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party’s political culture had caused extensive damage to the country and claiming that people had repeatedly rejected it. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Ghosh said he believed the political culture associated with the Congress was now facing a decline. His remarks came amid the ongoing political controversy surrounding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Indore event.

“Congress culture has caused great damage to the country and that culture is now going to be over. The public has rejected it time and again,” Ghosh said while speaking to the media.

The minister’s comments added to the ongoing political exchanges between the BJP and Congress, with the two sides continuing to trade allegations over political conduct and the direction of national politics. Ghosh’s remarks were made in the backdrop of the controversy surrounding a programme attended by Rahul Gandhi in Indore.

Turning his attention to the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal, Ghosh also spoke about the state government’s financial assistance for Puja committees. He said the government had provided grants for Durga Puja and stressed that the festival should be observed properly and with devotion.

Ghosh further said that Durga Puja should be referred to as ‘Durga Puja’, echoing Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s stated position on the terminology surrounding the festival. The issue comes ahead of this year’s Durga Puja celebrations, with the state government continuing its arrangements for the festival. The West Bengal government has announced financial assistance for eligible Puja committees, while additional conditions have been introduced around the grant process. 

The minister’s comments come at a time when Durga Puja preparations are gathering momentum across Bengal, with the festival remaining one of the state’s most significant cultural and religious occasions.

Ghosh’s remarks on both Congress and Durga Puja are likely to remain part of the political discourse in the run-up to the festive season, as political parties continue to debate questions of governance, culture and public policy in West Bengal.