'Not Anyone's Property': TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Accuses BJP Workers Of Desecrating Temple

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee accused BJP workers of obstructing his entry to the Thakurbari temple, claiming that they desecrated the holy site by emphasising its accessibility to all.

Tensions escalated outside the Thakurbari temple in Kolkata on Saturday as 200-250 BJP workers reportedly blocked Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee from entering the premises. Banerjee condemned the BJP workers' actions in response to the incident, emphasising that the temple is a sacred space open to all, regardless of caste, creed, or religion. He accused Shantanu Thakur, the local BJP MLA, and other BJP workers of desecrating the temple and promised that the people would respond to the incident democratically in the near future.

On Sunday, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee paid a visit to Thakurnagar in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas. Shantanu Thakur's Lok Sabha constituency is Thakurnagar.

Banerjee said: "Thakurbari is not someone's personal property. Matua dham is for all. Anyone can come to pray. Shantanu Thakur and his goons are blackening the deeds of Harichand Thakur," he said in a statement.  

According to the TMC leader, central security personnel guarding Shantanu Thakur and his brother Subrata, a BJP MLA, had attacked and heckled women TMC workers.

"The Thakurbari is not his property. It might take 5 minutes to use force to enter Thakurbari, but we don't believe in such things. When I arrived to pray here, central forces assaulted our female supporters. People will answer those who do politics with religion in the future," Banerjee added. 

He also said that he came to pray, not to engage in politics. "I came here to do puja, not to discuss politics." People who take bribes on camera are pious, and they are allowed to come here, whereas I am not permitted to enter the temple."

On the other hand, BJP leaders, including Bengal's Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, tweeted that TMC workers had attacked Matua Mahasangh members.

"TMC goons have attacked the Holy Shree Dham Temple; Thakurbari of the Matua Community, in front of the police. I request the Hon'ble Union Home Minister; Shri AmitShah Ji and HMOIndia to kindly intervene urgently and provide protection to the members and office bearers of the All India Matua Mahasangha and the Matua Community members," Adhikari said in a tweet.