West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Dismisses Allegations Of Using Sacred Neem Wood From Puri For Digha Temple

Kolkata: Amid allegations that extra sacred neem wood from Puri Jagannath temple has been used to craft the idol for Digha temple, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it ‘baseless and fabricated’.

“Why would we use stolen neem wood? We have our sources of neem wood. The servitor had brought the Jagannath idols. Such allegations are completely fabricated and baseless. When I have done a skywalk for both Kalighat and Dakshineswar temple then I am good. When I do Durga puja or Kali puja then I am good. Some people got jealous just because of Jagannath temple. Is it a crime to worship Lord Jagannath in West Bengal?” asked Mamata in Murshidabad.

A moment to be cherished forever.

The first glimpse of Lord Jagannath enshrined in the Garbhagriha of the Jagannath Temple in Digha will remain etched in my heart.

I felt my spirit stir with the divine radiance emanating from the sacred idol. I had the privilege of performing… pic.twitter.com/EYLaTycYaN

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 30, 2025

#WATCH | Howrah: On Digha Jagannath Temple controversy, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says "We respect the temple in Puri and we also respect Jagannath Dham. Kaali Temple and Gurdwaras are everywhere across the country. Temples are there in all places...Why is there so much… pic.twitter.com/XSZZaWyFkR

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2025

The West Bengal Chief Minister also urged that people of Bengal residing in Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar should not be beaten.

“I have heard that people are being beaten in Odisha when they are speaking Bengali. Even there are over one crore migrant workers in Bengal but we don’t do anything that is unfair,” further mentioned Mamata.

Notably, it was being alleged that the left over neem wood from ‘Nabakalebara’ in 2015 was used to make Jagannath idol in Digha in an unfair way.

Her remarks came a day after the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri questioned the credibility of a senior servitor of the use of surplus neem wood.