Carnival: Congress questions DM over invitations
The Statesman | 5 October 2025Burdwan, following the model of Kolkata’s much-hyped Red Road parade, has been hosting its own Durga Puja Carnival for the past three years. This year, 28 idols are scheduled to be taken to the carnival parade by their respective organisers. In Durgapur and Asansol, 14 and 18 idols respectively are listed for tomorrow’s parade.
Each year, the district authorities invite guests and dignitaries to grace the occasion. The East Burdwan district Congress, however, has raised questions about the invitation process. Gaurav Samaddar, district president of the Congress-affiliated labour front INTUC, sent an email to the district magistrate of East Burdwan, accusing the authorities of bias.
Samaddar said: “It is a government programme organised with public money. Yet it is quite unfortunate to see that only ruling party leaders and MLAs are invited. This is offensive and unethical.”
Reacting to the allegations, Trinamul Congress district president Rabindranath Chatterjee expressed surprise, saying: “The elected MLAs are invited by the district administration. It is unfortunate that Congress and other parties do not have a single MLA in East Burdwan, as the people have chosen to elect Trinamul Congress candidates in all 16 seats.”
