KOLKATA:
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday apologised after a government advertisement depicting Goddess Durga with 11 arms instead of the traditional 10 triggered a political controversy ahead of this year’s Durga Puja.
The advertisement, issued ahead of a coordination meeting with Durga Puja committees, carried an image of Goddess Durga with an additional arm holding an indistinct object. The depiction drew criticism from opposition parties and triggered a debate over the government’s handling of Bengal’s cultural and religious traditions.
Addressing the coordination meeting at Milan Mela Prangan in Kolkata, Adhikari apologised for the error and said officials responsible for the advertisement had been cautioned.
He assured the public that the government would exercise greater care to ensure that such mistakes were not repeated.
The controversy quickly became political, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the BJP-led government of mishandling an important symbol of Bengal’s cultural identity. TMC leaders questioned the depiction of Durga with 11 arms, traditionally represented in her Dashabhuja, or 10-armed, form.
The advertisement was published in newspapers ahead of the government’s meeting with Puja committees to discuss preparations for Durga Puja. The image became the focus of criticism even as the meeting venue itself displayed the traditional 10-armed depiction of Goddess Durga.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya sought to play down the controversy, describing it as an error by the agency responsible for the advertisement and saying it would be corrected.
The incident nevertheless generated considerable political attention in the state, with the opposition using it to question the BJP government’s understanding of Bengali cultural traditions.
Adhikari’s apology appeared aimed at bringing the controversy to an end, with the Chief Minister accepting responsibility for the government advertisement and assuring that greater care would be taken in future communications.