A sharp political and religious controversy has ignited in West Bengal, focusing on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her actions during a visit to the Madan Mohan Temple in Cooch Behar. The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a stinging public attack, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo of "insulting" Hindu religious practices through her unfamiliar and unconventional performance of worship rituals. The controversy was fueled by a video shared by the BJP on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The core of the BJP's criticism centered on the way the Chief Minister was filmed interacting with the temple's ritual objects. Specifically, the party highlighted her alleged lack of knowledge regarding the proper method of ringing the temple bell (ghanta). The video, which has since gained significant traction online, shows Ms. Banerjee holding and moving the bell with gestures that the BJP described as "bizarre" and disrespectful to the sanctity of the ritual. This pointed critique aims to portray the CM as disconnected from the cultural and religious sentiments of the Hindu majority in the state.
Mamata Banerjee neither follows Hindu traditions nor understands them. She clearly doesn’t even know how to ring a temple bell (Ghanta).
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) December 9, 2025
She may boycott the Gita recital for her own “special” reasons, and that’s her choice.
But she has no right to go to the Madan Mohan Mandir in… pic.twitter.com/ppg7bJykfz
Furthermore, the BJP's post sought to connect the temple incident to the wider political narrative of cultural identity. The party explicitly mentioned the issue of Gita recitation, referencing the Chief Minister's decision to distance herself from certain public religious events. While acknowledging that boycotting the Gita recitation might be her personal or "special choice," the BJP firmly argued that this does not grant her the license to publicly demean the faith of millions.
The public accusation unequivocally stated: "She may choose to boycott Gita recitation for her special reasons, but she has no right to insult Hindus by holding the bell with bizarre gestures and performing strange actions at the Madan Mohan Temple in Cooch Behar." This inflammatory language suggests that the BJP views the CM's actions not as a simple gaffe, but as a deliberate political gesture aimed at appeasing a non-Hindu vote bank or simply showing contempt for Hindu customs.
This latest political skirmish is a clear manifestation of the intense cultural and religious polarization that defines the political landscape in West Bengal. The BJP frequently attempts to corner the TMC on issues of religious and cultural nationalism, often portraying the Trinamool Congress as neglecting the majority community's sentiments. By focusing on a viral video clip, the BJP hopes to mobilize public opinion and underscore its critique of the TMC's alleged appeasement politics, setting the stage for more heated confrontations in the lead-up to future elections.
