Saraswati Puja celebrations at the Government College of Art and Craft in Tripura were marred by protests led by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and subsequently joined by the Bajrang Dal, following a viral social media video showcasing a Saraswati idol sculpted by students without traditional attire.
Dibakar Acharjee, the general secretary of the ABVP unit in Tripura, voiced strong objections to the depiction, labelling it as a disrespectful portrayal of Goddess Saraswati.
"This idol is vulgar and hurts religious sentiments," lamented Acharjee during the protest, emphasising the significance of Basant Panchami and the worship of Goddess Saraswati across the country.
He further expressed outrage, stating, "This idol is vulgar. We want to know which statue or idol sculpture did it follow? We don’t want anyone to play with the sentiments of our tradition."
“As the video of Maa Saraswati without the traditional saree was circulating on social media, we rushed to the college before the puja began and forced the organisers to adorn a saree on the idol,” Tutan Das, Tripura state coordinator of the Bajrang Dal said.
Sourabh Das, the assistant coordinator (campaign) of VHP, also condemned the students’ actions. “We vehemently denounce the lack of decorum shown towards Devi Saraswati by the students of the Government College of Art and Craft. The VHP will not tolerate any disrespect towards Hindu deities,” he said.
The controversy unfolded amidst ongoing puja rituals, with college students witnessing the events. Although the idol was initially veiled with a saree from another ritual, it was eventually replaced to appease the protesters.
ABVP, an RSS-affiliated student body, demanded stringent action against the college authorities, urging Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha's intervention.
In response, the college administration clarified that the idol adhered to traditional sculptural forms observed in Hindu temples and was not intended to offend. Nonetheless, to address concerns, the idol was replaced and concealed with plastic sheets behind the puja pandal.
Principal in-charge Abhijit Bhattacharjee explained, "The idol followed the sculpture style of different idols found in temples across northern and southern India. However, we certainly didn't want to hurt anyone's sentiments. We have replaced the idol."
Although police visited the scene, no formal complaints were lodged by the college or the protesting groups.
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