Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Dakshineswar temple on Friday.Union Home Minister Amit Shah has got embroiled in a controversy after laying a wreath at the wrong statue while paying tribute to iconic Adivasi leader Birsa Munda in Bankura district on Thursday.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) took a dig at Shah, calling him “bohiragato [outsider]”.
Local Adivasi leaders pointed out on Friday that the statue the minister garlanded was not Munda’s but that of an anonymous tribal hunter.
After garlanding the statue and showering it with petals, Shah tweeted, “Paid floral tributes to legendary tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Munda ji in Bankura, West Bengal today. Birsa Munda ji’s life was dedicated towards the rights and upliftment of our tribal sisters & brothers. His courage, struggles and sacrifices continue to inspire all of us.”
To cover up the mistake, the BJP placed Birsa Munda’s portrait at the foot of the statue.
Adivasi organisation Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal said it was upset about the minister’s faux pas, which, it added, was an insult to Birsa Munda.
The Trinamool Congress tweeted, “‘Bohiragato’ are at it again! Union Home Minister @AmitShah is so ignorant of Bengal’s culture that he insulted Bhagwan Birsa Munda by garlanding a wrong idol & placed his photo at someone else’s foot. Will he ever respect Bengal?”