Nothing communal but only Sanatanis to be part of Durga idol immersion: Suvendu Adhikari
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has mandated that only followers of Sanatana Dharma will be permitted to participate in Durga idol immersion ceremonies. The directive includes a requirement for police to record the identity details of all participants to maintain religious tradition.
Why it matters
The policy raises significant questions regarding secularism, religious inclusivity, and the intersection of state administration with religious practices in India.
Nothing communal but only Sanatanis to be part of Durga idol immersion: Suvendu Adhikari left West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during a visit to the residence of a victim of the Durga Puja stampede in Kolkata, at Chakdaha, in Nadia district, West Bengal, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. PTI PTI https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/rqiuy1/article71606829.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/PTI10_20_2026_000179B.jpg - Nadia: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during a visit to the residence of a victim of the Durga Puja stampede in Kolkata, at Chakdaha, in Nadia district, West Bengal, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. At least nineteen people were killed and 25 injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata on Saturday evening.
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