Kolkata, Sep 8 (PTI) Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday criticised the opposition BJP for questioning the Bengal government's decision to provide financial assistance to Durga Puja clubs, wondering why no questions were raised when thousands of crores of rupees of public money was spent to install a statue in Gujarat.

Last month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an assistance of Rs 60,000 to each community Durga Puja organiser, up from Rs 50,000 given last year.

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The decision has been challenged in court.

"The BJP claimed that Mamata Banerjee doesn't allow Durga Puja. But the party's leaders had to eat their words after Durga Puja received recognition from UNESCO. Now they are making an issue over the financial assistance being provided to clubs," he said, addressing a party programme here.

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Both the saffron party and the Left Front had criticised Banerjee's decision to hike assistance, and said the government, "which is under financial stress as claimed by TMC leaders", should not indulge in such dole politics using public money.

The TMC national general secretary wondered why the saffron camp was mum when thousands of crores of rupees were spent for building statue of unity in Gujarat.

"And why shouldn't Mamata Banerjee support the Durga Puja clubs in Bengal? BJP leaders seems to be having a problem with Mamata Banerjee supporting these clubs financially. They, however, don't have a problem with spending crores of rupees of public money for building a statue in Gujarat,” he said.

The Diamond Harbour MP said Durga Puja is Bengal's pride and the saffron camp should "stop hurting the sentiments" of the people of Bengal.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)