West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s decision to hike Durga Puja grants to ₹1.10 lakh per committee faces legal scrutiny at Calcutta High Court. CPI-M and BJP leaders challenge the move, citing misuse of public funds. Opposition highlights financial burden amid unpaid DA dues to state employees.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent announcement to raise the annual financial aid to community Durga Puja committees from ₹85,000 to ₹1.10 lakh is likely to face legal hurdles at the Calcutta High Court in the coming week. The move, widely seen as an effort to appease cultural and grassroots organizers ahead of political cycles, has sparked strong reactions from opposition parties, with legal challenges already taking shape.
Senior advocate and CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya on Saturday confirmed his intention to challenge the enhanced Puja grant in the Calcutta High Court. “I am preparing to move the court next week against the decision,” Bhattacharya said, adding that the court’s upcoming Puja vacation may delay the proceedings. He, however, expressed concern about whether the matter would be heard in full before the vacation begins.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also entered the legal battlefield. Drawing parallels to a similar case from 2020, the party has filed a petition challenging the increase in the Durga Puja dole, citing potential misuse of public funds and discriminatory allocation. The Calcutta High Court has already granted the BJP permission to proceed with their petition.
Political observers believe the issue could have ripple effects beyond the High Court. In fact, the increased Puja grant could become a reference point in a related matter being heard by the Supreme Court — a contempt-of-court petition filed by government employees over the state’s failure to disburse 25% of Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, as ordered by the apex court. Petitioners may argue that while the government claims financial constraints in paying DA dues, it is simultaneously announcing lavish festival grants worth hundreds of crores.
According to initial estimates, this year’s enhanced dole would cost the state exchequer anywhere between ₹473 crore to ₹495 crore, depending on the final count of eligible Puja committees. This marks a significant rise from last year’s expenditure of ₹365.5 crore. Furthermore, the state government has also promised an 80% electricity bill concession for these committees, adding to the financial burden on public coffers.
Critics argue that while cultural support is important, such an extravagant grant, especially when public sector employees await long-overdue financial entitlements, reflects misplaced priorities. “The government has money for festivals, but not for the rightful dues of its employees. This double standard cannot go unchecked,” said a senior BJP leader.
Opposition parties, including the CPI-M and BJP, have jointly raised questions about the legality and intent behind the enhanced dole. They argue that the grant, while seemingly generous, is politically motivated and creates an uneven distribution of public funds for electoral gains.
Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has defended the move, saying the annual grant supports the state’s cultural heritage and helps generate employment and local economic activity during the festive season. “Durga Puja is not just a festival, it is an emotion in Bengal. The government is only doing its part to support that sentiment,” said a senior TMC spokesperson.
Despite this defense, the timing and scale of the announcement have triggered a political storm that could intensify in the coming weeks, especially if the courts admit and accelerate the petitions. For now, the question remains: can a festive offering withstand the rigours of legal and political scrutiny?
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With the Durga Puja season approaching fast, the outcome of these legal proceedings may determine whether the grants proceed as planned or face judicial intervention.
