Story perspectives

Adhikari Orders Only Sanatan Dharma Allowed to Touch Idols

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 4:09 AM UTC · How we work

Left

Condemn Discriminatory Directive

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said only Sanatan Dharma followers may touch Durga idols during the October 21, 2026 Hooghly River immersion.
MLA Kunal Ghosh, member Sujan Chakraborty condemned the directive as discriminatory, saying it harms migrant and minority volunteers handling idols.
He ordered the Kolkata Police commissioner to log the names of anyone touching the idols.
Municipal officials say over fifty workers are usually deployed at each ghat for immersion.

Right

Idol Transport Reform

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered that only Sanatan Dharma followers may touch Durga idols during immersion in the Hooghly River on October 21, 2026.
The administration deployed senior police officers, the National Disaster Response Force and the Border Security Force to oversee the immersions.
He instructed Kolkata Police Commissioner to record the identities of anyone carrying the idols.
Trolleys were arranged for idol transport, replacing crane usage after complaints.

Blindspot

The report notes that migrant labourers from the Sundarbans and other districts routinely lift and steer the heavy Durga idols, and it is unclear whether the rule limiting idol handling to Sanatan Dharma followers will bar them.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The demolition of the 16th-century Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992 by VHP and BJP activists triggered riots that killed roughly 2,000 people across India. The fallout generated court cases and policy debates over religious participation, a backdrop for West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s 21 October 2026 order that only Sanatan Dharma adherents may handle Durga idols, with police and NDRF enforcing it.

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Condemn Discriminatory Directive

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said only Sanatan Dharma followers may touch Durga idols during the October 21, 2026 Hooghly River immersion.
MLA Kunal Ghosh, member Sujan Chakraborty condemned the directive as discriminatory, saying it harms migrant and minority volunteers handling idols.
He ordered the Kolkata Police commissioner to log the names of anyone touching the idols.
Municipal officials say over fifty workers are usually deployed at each ghat for immersion.

1 / 4