Amit Shah prays for ‘Sonar Bangla’ at Kolkata Durga Puja, sparks political exchange

Kolkata: Praying Goddess Durga for formation of a new government, which will reestablish ‘Sonar Bangla’ following 2026 assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated a Durga Puja pandal at Santosh Mitra Square, which has been designed on the theme of "Operation Sindoor", following Pahalgam terror attack and paying tribute to the Indian Army.

Shah, after inaugurating the “Operation Sindoor” themed Durga puja and offering prayers to Goddess Durga, said, “I have prayed to Goddess Durga for formation of a new government in West Bengal after coming assembly elections, which will restore the state’s lost glory, making it ‘Sonar Bangla’. He expressed hope that Bengal’s world-renowned poet Rabindra Nath Tagore’s dream about Bengal would come true.

“I hope Durga Puja festivities take us to new heights and through Bengal’s growth and development, we achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of ‘Vikshit Bharat’. I pray that Bengal moves towards the path of development and prosperity,” Shah said.


The Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja is set to unravel a high-voltage "Operation Sindoor" theme with an AI-based visual show of the recent terror attack at Kashmir’s Pahalgam. It is one of the biggest Puja pandals of Kolkata and the puja is organized by BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh.

“More than ten people died in the rain. I express condolences for all those families, who lost family members, on behalf of all BJP workers,” Shah said.

Paying homage to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s birth anniversary, Shah said, “Today is Vidyasagar's birth anniversary. He was a great Bengali reformer who had dedicated his entire life for Bengali language and education. He had played a major role for Bengali language and women's education.”

Shah offered puja at Kalighat Temple and also inaugurated another Durga Puja at Saltlake’s EZCC, organized by

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, “They used to say that we don't allow Durga Puja In Bengal and now they are coming here and inaugurating puja pandals.”

“They should learn from Bengal. Durga Puja and Kanyashree have received UN recognition. They want to keep Bengal deprived of everything,” Banerjee added.

When Shah is talking about Sonar Bangla, Banerjee told the media persons that they should ask Amit Shah, when will he release our funds worth Rs 2 lakh crore that he owes to us! “Shah talks about Sonar Bangla, but did they make ‘Sonar Bihar’? Were they able to make ‘Sonar Gujarat, Maharashtra, or UP’? They are using our funds in all these BJP-ruled states. If we get 300 MM rainfall in 4 hours, what can be done? But look at the situation now. If Kolkata is waterlogged, how is Amit Shah going from one place to another here?” Banerjee said.