Mamata's Jagannath prasad drive sparks row as BJP accuses her distributing 'stale' sweets

Kolkata: Amid allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee trying to woo the Hindu votebank before 2026, the West Bengal government has started distributing ‘prasad’ from the new Jagannathdham temple in Digha at the doorsteps of more than 10 million households across the state. BJP attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue.

The door-to-door delivery of the prasad started from June 17 and the process is likely to continue till July 4. The state government is making use of the network of ration shops and ration dealers to deliver the prasad at the door-step of the households.

However, a fresh controversy has erupted over the government’s initiative of distributing prasad from the temple.


Leader of Opposition (LoP) in state assembly Suvendu Adhiakri said that instead of original prasad, “stale” sweets are procured from local sweetmeat shops. Adhikari even said that the state government has no authority to distribute such “prasad”.

Banerjee will participate in the Rath yatra in Digha’s newly constructed temple on April 27.

Earlier, a series of controversies had erupted over the Jagannath temple in Digha, a brainchild of the chief minister, was inaugurated on April 30.

The West Bengal chief minister had inaugurated the newly constructed Jagannath Temple in the coastal town of Digha in West Bengal on the auspicious day of Akshay Tritiya on April 30. Modelled on Puri Jagannath temple, the Jagannath Dham, built at a cost of Rs 250 crore, was consecrated.

While the TMC-led West Bengal government aims to boost religious tourism with the new Jagannath dham modelled on Puri's temple, touching Hindutva sentiments ahead of 2026 assembly polls, the Jagganath Dham is seen as Chief Minister’s Hindu outreach by opposition BJP.

BJP had gone on an all-out attack over the inauguration of a temple complex using state government funds, Chief Minister trying to woo Hindus ahead of polls next year and absence of the Chief Minister in Kolkata during the major fire which took 15 lives.