West Bengal: Idol of Lord Ram being sculpted for Ram Navami beheaded in Nandigram

In yet another incident of attack on Hindu customs in West Bengal, an idol of Lord Ram being sculpted for Ram Navami celebrations was beheaded by unknown miscreants. The incident occurred at the Veturia bus stand in Nandigram’s Block 2, where the head of the nearly completed idol of Lord Ram was cut off and stolen overnight, triggering tension in this politically sensitive area.

Local residents said the idol was left at the stand after work stopped for the day. When workers returned the following morning, they found the head missing. Many described the act as an attack on Sanatani Hindu beliefs.

Opposition leader and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, condemned the vandalism in a post on X. He wrote that attacks on Hindu idols and temples “have become routine” in the state because of the Mamata Banerjee government’s “appeasement politics” and the administration’s “shameless inaction”.

Adhikari called the perpetrators “jihadis” and urged all Sanatanis to unite immediately and “bid farewell” to the government, warning that failure to do so would lead to even worse conditions for Hindus in West Bengal.

Police have registered a case and begun an investigation, but no arrests have been made so far. Residents have complained that the authorities are not treating the matter seriously.

Nandigram remains a high-voltage constituency ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections. It gained national attention during the 2007 land agitation and has been a focal point of rivalry between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP ever since. In 2021, Mamata Banerjee lost the seat to Suvendu Adhikari but later won from Bhabanipur.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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