Nandigram, the political bastion of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will soon receive a temple dedicated to Lord Ram.
This is remarkable given Banerjee’s longstanding opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Hindutva agenda and Jai Shri Ram chanting.
On Ram Navami day, April 6, BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari will lay the foundation stone for the Ayodhya-style temple.
Adhikari, Banerjee’s former close ally who is now her rival, Adhikari was once Banerjee’s close ally, but she is now one of her most ferocious adversaries. On April 6, he will lay the foundation stone for the Ram temple in Nandigram. The site has been historic in WB’s political history—it was here that Banerjee fought against the CPM government and won power for her party.
Ironically, Adhikari had previously held the position of MP for Tamluk, which includes the segment of the Nandigram Assembly.
Plans for the temple The details of Adhikari’s announcement and temple At a public meeting in March, Adhikari announced that construction on the Ram temple would begin on April 6. By blowing conch shells and carrying sacred pots, he urged thousands of women to congregate at the location. According to Adhikari, the proposed temple will be built on approximately 1.5 acres of land, symbolizing the state’s devotion to Lord Ram by millions of devout Hindus.
Response by TMC Adhikari’s temple project’s criticism from TMC Adhikari’s temple project has been derided by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Bengal as an attempt to exact revenge on Digha’s Jagannath Temple. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh alleged that the temple’s land was sold to Adhikari at a pittance by its original owners when he was with their party with an intention of constructing a hospital in memory of Nandigram police firing victims.
Adhikari has denied the claims, claiming that funds are being taken from his MLALADS account.
Battleground for politics The historical significance of Nandigram in Banerjee’s political career Nandigram has played a significant role in the political career of Banerjee. In 2007, she led a bloody anti-land acquisition protest against the Left Front government here, which resulted in 14 deaths and made her a political star. In the 2021 Assembly election, Banerjee’s battle with Adhikari took place in the same location. She lost by 2,000 votes.