Bengal govt ad shows Durga with 11 hands, draws flak from TMC, CPI(M) - What did BJP's Shamik Bhattacharya say?

A controversy has erupted over a West Bengal government advertisement for Durga Puja. It began when Goddess Durga was shown with 11 arms rather than her traditional 10-armed form. The ad was released by the Information and Culture Department on Monday, earning mixed reactions from netizens. Leaders from the opposition, including All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Communist Party of India (Marxist), have also raised questions.

Controversy over Durga Puja ad in Bengal

The advertisement featured a picture of CM Suvendu Adhikari alongside another of PM Narendra Modi. “With everyone's cooperation and coordination, may Bengal's greatest festival be even more beautiful, well-organised and safe,” read an excerpt from the ad.

It was an advertisement for a meeting with the puja committees on Monday at the Milan Mela ahead of Durga Puja 2026. It was organised by the Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation in association with the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal.

Kunal Ghosh reacts

TMC's Kunal Ghosh took to X and shared the picture of the ad. Tagging CM Suvendu Adhikari, he wrote, as per translation, “Honourable Chief Minister, in the government advertisement, Maa Durga, who traditionally has ten arms, has now become eleven-armed. According to the scriptures, one arm needs to be removed. We keep hearing about various codes of conduct every day. Amid all this, if the number of the Goddess’s arms increases in 2026, the matter will become complicated. Please immediately instruct the concerned department not to distort the original image of the Mother Goddess.”

Shatrup Ghosh shares sarcastic post

CPM leader Shatrup Ghosh took a dig at the state government.

Referring to the ongoing row around Durga Puja pandals in Bengal, Ghosh took to his Facebook account. He wrote in Bengali, “What a wonderful government advertisement! Here, Maa Durga has eleven arms. The gods had given Durga weapons in ten hands to slay the demon. And the BJP government has given the idol an extra hand, to slap anyone near the ear and drive them out of the pandal and Bengal if they come during Puja and try to impose a diktat on Bengalis to eat vegetarian food.”

Shamik Bhattacharya breaks silence

Meanwhile, BJP state president Shamik Bhattacharya has briefly commented on the controversial ad.

When asked about it, Shamik Bhattacharya said, as quoted by TV9 Bangla, “Maa Durga has become even more powerful.”

He added further, "I have not seen the advertisement yet. However, what mistake any agency has made is not a matter of politics. It will be corrected."

Meanwhile, an official reaction to the ad has not yet been shared by the government.