Dilip Ghosh visits Jagannath Temple, meets Mamata

SNS, KOLKATA, 30 APRIL, 2025 : On a politically charged Wednesday, while Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari held a counter-programme in Contai, former BJP state president Dilip Ghosh took a divergent path by honouring an invitation from the state government and visiting the newly-inaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha.

Despite Adhikari's call for a 'Sanatani Samavesh' in Contai — held after securing legal clearance from the Calcutta High Court following initial denial by the state administration — Dilip Ghosh chose not to attend the event. Instead, he travelled nearly 200 kilometres to Digha, reaching the Jagannath Temple around 5:30 p.m., more than two hours after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee officially inaugurated the temple.

The former BJP state president, who recently got married, went to the temple accepting the invitation but also held a meeting with Miss Banerjee and exchanged pleasantries with her party colleagues, Minister Arup Biswas and Kunal Ghosh. Mr. Ghosh heaped praises on the temple project in the presence of the Chief Minister. Mr. Ghosh said: "I'm a disciple of Lord Ram and also a true follower of Jagannath." Mr. Ghosh asked the CM about her visit, to which the Chief Minister replied that she was camping there for the last three days. Heaping praises on the temple, Mr. Ghosh said: "It is wonderful." He also said he had come after watching the inauguration on television.

By early Wednesday afternoon, it became evident that he would head to Digha, bypassing Contai, which lies en route. When asked why he didn't stop in Contai, where Suvendu was leading the counter-event, Ghosh said: "I wasn't invited there. I have been invited to Digha and to Shyampur, so I went there. There are numerous programmes on Akshaya Tritiya — I can't attend all of them. I go where I'm invited."

Emphasising the spiritual significance of the day, Ghosh remarked: "Akshaya Tritiya is an auspicious day. We usually engage in worship and religious events on such occasions. Since the Jagannath temple was being inaugurated today and I was invited, why wouldn't I go?" In a characteristically witty note, he added: "If the Lord has travelled 350 kilometres to meet us, can't I travel 200 kilometres to meet Him?"

While many invited guests had already left Digha by the time Ghosh arrived, he said his primary purpose was to offer prayers. "Let me first pay my respects to the deity. I'll decide later whether to stay overnight."

Sukanta Majumdar, the BJP state party president, said his party does not endorse it and Mr. Ghosh should have ignored it.