Bengal Congress president lauds Mamata Banerjee government’s arrangements at Gangasagar Mela

NDRF personnel patrolling the waters at the confluence of river Ganga and the sea during Gangasagar mela in Gangasagar, West Bengal. File
| Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI

West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar lauded the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s arrangements at Gangasagar Mela, while criticising arrangements at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh.

Mr. Sarkar has taken a softer approach towards the ruling government in West Bengal compared to his predecessor Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. This comes even as the ruling Trinamool Congress has already stated that they will contest alone in the 2026 Assembly election.

Mr. Sarkar had also said on Thursday that religion and its practices are specific to each person and their beliefs but anywhere where there is such a huge congregation of people, the government must stay vigilant. “I myself have been to the Gangasagar Mela. The type of arrangements that the West Bengal government had made there showed that the administration is quite active and well prepared,” he added.

The Congress leader said that even if they are in the Opposition, and criticise the ruling party for certain issues, the government has ensured proper arrangements for the Gangasagar Mela.

Poor arrangements

He came down heavily on the Maha Kumbh arrangements by the Yogi Adityanath-led government. “The State government of Yogi Adityanath has completely failed during the [Maha] Kumbh Mela. They have used this mela just like Ayodhya Ram Mandir to ask for votes, but the arrangements were very bad,” Mr. Sarkar added.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said Mr. Sarkar has made these comments to get in the good books of Ms. Banerjee. “He wants to become an MLA by latching on to Mamata so they can get a few seats,” the Opposition leader added.

This comes as the BJP has taken out many protests and strongly voiced their disapproval of comments made by Ms. Banerjee regarding the Maha Kumbh.

During the Budget session in the Assembly on February 18, Ms. Banerjee had said, “Maha Kumbh has become Mrityu Kumbh. Why was such a hype created over the event without any planning?”