Mamata Banerjee at a Durga pujo pandal
PTI File Photo
Kolkata: Two more community Durga Puja committees in Kolkata on Saturday announced that they have declined the West Bengal government's Rs 85,000 grant to voice their protest over the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at a state-run hospital here last month.
The Netajinagar Sarbojonin Durga Puja Committee, celebrating its 75th year, informed the administration of its choice not to accept the grant, citing alleged negligence of the authorities at RG Kar hospital following the heinous crime on August 9.
"We don't need any state grant for our puja this year. This decision has been taken to honour the sentiment and emotion of the people of our locality, including women. We will manage to deck up the pandal and do illumination with the fund collected by us and from the help of residents of the locality and well-wishers," a spokesperson of the puja committee said.
In solidarity, the Madhyapara Abahani Club in Behala in south Kolkata have also decided to forego the Rs 85,000 grant and celebrate their 50th year in a subdued manner.
"Our flex contains the message demanding justice for the victim while the deity will hold a symbolic spine of thermocol instead of the trident. We have decided to voice our protest in this way against the role of the state after the ghastly crime which shook our conscience," a puja committee spokesperson said.
Previously four Puja committees in Hooghly, one each in Murshidabad, South and North 24 Parganas had also declined the grant in response to the RG Kar issue.
This year 670 of 2,757 registered Durga Puja committees in and around Kolkata have applied for the state grant.
There are around 30,000 community pujas in the state.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the Rs 85,000 grant at a meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium here in July.