Deshapriya Park Puja
One of South Kolkata’s prominent Durga Puja celebrations, the Ballygunge Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samiti at Deshapriya Park, has been caught in a controversy over an alleged attack on its puja pandal. The puja is set to enter its 89th year, but preparations have now been disrupted by allegations of vandalism and an ongoing dispute between rival committee factions.
The organising committee has alleged that a group of around 40 to 50 young men entered the park on the night of August 9 and damaged the pandal under construction.
A complaint was subsequently lodged at Rabindra Sarobar Police Station on August 11. The incident has raised questions over whether the puja will be able to proceed as planned. However, Rashbehari MLA Swapan Dasgupta has disputed the claim that the pandal was destroyed.
According to him, the main issue is a dispute between two committees associated with the Deshapriya Park puja. The controversy has also brought the larger issue of access to public parks and the alleged politicisation of Durga Puja committees into focus.
Preparations for the puja had already begun. The committee organised the traditional Khuti Puja on June 28 and had planned a pandal approximately 70 feet high. According to the organisers, around 40 to 50 outsiders entered the park at about 8 pm on August 9.
They allegedly began damaging the pandal without informing or speaking to the organisers. The group reportedly left the area after the alleged vandalism.
The organisers then approached Rabindra Sarobar Police Station and lodged a complaint on August 11. Police are expected to examine the allegations and establish what exactly happened at the site.
There is, however, another version of events. Swapan Dasgupta has said that the pandal was not destroyed and that nothing had been demolished in the manner being alleged.
He described the situation as a dispute between two rival committees over the organisation and control of the Deshapriya Park Durga Puja. The conflicting versions have made it difficult to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident without further investigation.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of a wider controversy over the use of Deshapriya Park. Dasgupta had earlier argued that public parks should remain accessible to local residents rather than being controlled by clubs or restricted groups.
In June, he specifically referred to Deshapriya Park and Vivekananda Park while arguing that public green spaces should be returned to residents.
The Deshapriya Park puja has reportedly been facing an internal dispute over the composition and control of its organising committee. One faction has alleged that political influence was used to maintain control over the puja for years.
Following the political change after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, sections of local residents reportedly questioned the authority of the earlier committee. The dispute has continued even as preparations for this year’s puja moved ahead.
According to the organisers, public access to the park was restricted while construction of the pandal was underway. Dasgupta has maintained that he does not want to become involved in the dispute.
He has also spoken in favour of keeping Durga Puja committees away from partisan politics. According to the MLA, a puja committee had approached him seeking to make him its president, but he declined.
His position is that he will attend Durga Puja celebrations across his constituency but will not become part of any organising committee. He has also urged rival factions to resolve their disputes themselves rather than bringing political considerations into the matter.
The issue of Deshapriya Park has been politically significant in the Rashbehari constituency. During the 2026 Assembly election campaign, restricted access to Deshapriya Park and Vivekananda Park was among the local issues raised by Dasgupta.
The larger question is whether public parks should remain accessible to residents throughout the year, including during festival preparations.
At present, the future of the Deshapriya Park puja remains a subject of discussion. There has been no confirmed announcement that the 89th edition of the puja has been cancelled.
However, the alleged damage to the pandal, the committee dispute and questions surrounding the use of the park have created uncertainty. Dasgupta has said that reopening parks for local residents is one of his immediate priorities as the Rashbehari MLA.
His position reflects an earlier argument that public parks should not effectively become private spaces controlled by clubs or restricted groups. The police investigation into the alleged vandalism will be important.
Authorities will need to establish whether the pandal was actually damaged, who was responsible and whether the incident was connected to the dispute between the rival committees.
At the same time, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s position could also prove significant. According to Dasgupta, the civic body had recently issued notices in different areas seeking details regarding the status of existing structures.
He also said that a court case relating to alleged illegal construction was pending.
This means that the dispute involves more than the puja committee itself. It touches upon public-space management, construction permissions, access to parks and the role of political organisations in local cultural institutions.
For residents and organisers, however, the immediate concern is whether preparations can resume in time. Durga Puja is one of Kolkata’s biggest cultural festivals, and Deshapriya Park has traditionally attracted considerable attention during the festive season.
Any disruption to the puja would therefore be significant for the local community. The controversy also raises a broader question about the relationship between politics and community festivals.
Dasgupta has clearly argued that Durga Puja should remain outside partisan politics. He has also said that disputes within a committee should be resolved internally. The coming days will therefore be important.
The police investigation, the administration’s position on access to the park and the resolution of the committee dispute will determine whether the preparations can continue smoothly.
For now, the 89th Deshapriya Park Durga Puja remains caught between an allegation of pandal vandalism and a deeper dispute over control of the celebration and the public park itself.
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