Min performs puja, ‘purifies’ office once occupied by Partha
Times of India | 13 June 2026
Kolkata: Bishal Lama, a minister of state in Bengal's BJP govt, performed a puja and an arati in his office in Nabanna, ostensibly to "purify" it, upon learning that Partha Chatterjee used the room before his arrest by ED in the cash-for-jobs case in July 2022.
Lama, the BJP MLA from Kalchini in Alipurduar district, entered Nabanna for the first time on Friday morning to start his innings as the minister of state for home and hill affairs, minority affairs and madrasa education. Accompanying officials told him that room number 101, allotted to the home and hill affairs department, was used by Chatterjee whenever he attended meetings at the state secretariat.
Chatterjee, who was a senior minister in the Trinamool govt till his arrest, was granted bail in 2025 after spending three years in jail.
Upon learning about the room's history, Lama reportedly declared that he would not enter without "purifying" it with gangajal and conducting a puja. Later, he told TOI: "I was shocked to hear it , but the puja is only for the new beginning. Today, I am the minister, somebody else may take charge tomorrow. Life goes on," he said.
A Buddhist monk and a Hindu priest were seen conducting the rituals, which included chanting of mantras and sprinkling of gangajal. Lama was seen performing an arati in the room
Lama said, "As a Buddhist, it is our tradition to offer prayers and chant mantras before starting any auspicious work. " Other ministers, including Ashok Kirtania (food supplies and cooperation) and Purnima Chakraborty (minister of state, information and cultural affairs, and tourism), too, stressed the need for "purification" and requested that they be given chairs not used by previous ministers.