BJP Minister Performs Purification Ritual at Nabanna Office
Kolkata: Bishal Lama, a minister of state in Bengal's BJP government, performed a puja and an arati in his office at Nabanna to 'purify' it upon learning that Partha Chatterjee had used the room before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the cash-for-jobs case in July 2022.
Lama, the BJP MLA from Kalchini in Alipurduar district, entered Nabanna for the first time on Friday morning to begin his tenure as the minister of state for home and hill affairs, minority affairs, and madrasa education. Accompanying officials informed him that room number 101, allotted to the home and hill affairs department, was previously used by Chatterjee whenever he attended meetings at the state secretariat.
Chatterjee, a senior minister in the Trinamool government until his arrest, was granted bail in 2025 after spending three years in jail.
Upon learning about the room's history, Lama reportedly declared that he would not enter without 'purifying' it with gangajal and conducting a puja. Later, he told TOI: 'I was shocked to hear it, but the puja is only for the new beginning. Today, I am the minister; somebody else may take charge tomorrow. Life goes on.'
A Buddhist monk and a Hindu priest were seen conducting the rituals, which included chanting of mantras and sprinkling of gangajal. Lama was seen performing an arati in the room.
Lama said, 'As a Buddhist, it is our tradition to offer prayers and chant mantras before starting any auspicious work.' Other ministers, including Ashok Kirtania (food supplies and cooperation) and Purnima Chakraborty (minister of state for information and cultural affairs, and tourism), also stressed the need for 'purification' and requested that they be given chairs not used by previous ministers.
