Bengal minister revolts with worship

Kolkata: In West Bengal, the land of communism and its band of non-believers, there is a revolt suddenly from within.

West Bengal Sports and Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty, known to be a maverick, offered floral obeisance - on camera - to the state's presiding deity - goddess Kali.

The outcome: controversy, embarrassment for the ruling communist group and a broad grin on the faces of leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Given my name, wherever I go in India, I am first a Hindu and then a Brahmin. This is the truth, how can I deny it?" the transport minister said, after his controversial visit on Thursday to the famous Tarapith temple of goddess Kali in Birbhum district where he offered flowers and a donation of Rs 501.

As the BJP rolled out the welcome mat to Chakraborty and state party unit president Tathagata Roy went to the extent of inviting him to their fold, the minister was unfazed - either by the BJP or the embarrassment of his own party, in which he enjoys the sound backing of Jyoti Basu despite his uncomfortable relationship with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

In the recent Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections, he backed Jagmohan Dalmiya and flayed Sourav Ganguly much to the chagrin of Bhattacharya who was made to eat humble pie by Dalmiya.

Chakraborty said he did no wrong by visiting the temple, though even his 93-year-old mentor Jyoti Basu said: "Whom does he see and worship? Does she (goddess Kali) exist at all? It would be better if he worshipped mankind."

Chakraborty said Basu was the equivalent of god to him but "people need not always agree on all counts".

"I've been to all famous temples and mosques in India, those who criticise me now have themselves done the same on the sly," Chakraborty said in his usual style.

"I was given flowers by the priests of the temple. Should I have thrown them away?" he asked.

"I fold hands before the elders while the communists believe in Red salute. I believe in my own style. I find it a more civil and humble way of greeting people," Chakraborty said.

But the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is not very impressed by his explanations.

"The party state secretary (Biman Bose) would seek an explanation from him," said Binoy Konar, a member of the CPI-M state committee.