'Will Bengalis be forced to worship Modi with Maa Durga?': AAP alleges instructions to put PM's pic at Durga Puja pandals in Delhi

Saurabh Bharadwaj

Durga Puja in the capital city of Delhi seems to be off to a controversial start, with the ruling BJP and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party accusing each other of trying to gain political advantage through the festival.

Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has instructed organisers to display pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the pandals.

After this accusition, the BJP, without directly refuting the allegation, countered by saying that AAP had previously displayed images of their party chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during Chhath Puja.

"So now, will Bengali brothers and sisters be forced to worship PM Modi alongside Maa Durga?" Bharadwaj said.

"CM Rekha Gupta asking to Place PM's photo near to Goddess Durga's idol in Puja Pandals is blasphemy. BJP mustn't play with Hindus' faith to run its political shop; Playing PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat at Ramlila bhoomi pujan was also wrong. Bengali community will not accept CM Rekha Gupta's 'Tughlaqi farman'; It has deeply angered entire Bengali community," his X post read.

However, BJP was quick to respond to this. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said, "Saurabh Bhardwaj should not be the one to lecture us on this".

"We had seen on social media how during Chhat Puja, they had put Arvind Kejriwal's photos. And the Trinamool Congress, whom AAP worships -- their leader was threatening pandal organisers that funds won't be given if Didi's photo is not put," he said.