Banerjee said she had dispatched as many relief items as possible to the flood-hit regions in both south and north Bengal, providing food items such as rice, dal, potatoes, soybeans, mustard oil, and other essentials.

Meanwhile, CM Banerjee also noted that according to the weather department’s forecast, showers are expected over the next two days, followed by scattered rain and sunny weather during the four days of the festival, starting from Sasthi.

Despite rain predictions during festivities, she urged people to continue with their participation in Durga Puja.

Amid rains on Thursday, Banerjee reached a north Kolkata pandal “Tala Pratyay” and offered her prayers to Goddess Durga — “Stop the rain, Maa Durga”.

At the inauguration at Barisha Club, she remarked on her strong emotional connection to the area, recalling her participation in significant political movements there in the past. The chief minister inaugurated a slew of community Durga Puja on Wednesday, including some virtually.

According to sources, along with Kolkata’s Durga Puja, she will inaugurate thousands across districts. Banerjee wished the people of the state on the beginning of ‘Devi Paksha’ (the fortnight of Goddess Durga’s worship) she also stated that “many have questioned, why are we celebrating the festival?”

“I should say to them — in Bengali, everyone says “baro mashe tero parbo (thirteen festivals in twelve months)”. We work and simultaneously celebrate festivals also. We also believe in religion. This is the happiness you can earn through walking with everybody,” Mamata Banerjee said.

During her speech, she did not mention about the protests by junior doctors against the rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the RG Kar Hospital, but reacted on some groups already opposing celebrations.

“Puja can never stop. Festival can never come to a halt”, she said, adding, “Durga Puja will be followed by other festivals.”

— With PTI inputs

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