'Permission denied': Mamata marks Tagore Jayanti near home as Suvendu takes oath as Bengal CM

As West Bengal prepares for a major political transition, outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to observe the 165th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on Saturday, the same day BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari will take oath as the state’s new chief minister.

The development has sparked fresh political tension between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the TMC alleging that authorities denied permission for Rabindra Jayanti programmes planned at multiple venues across Kolkata.

According to the ruling party, several non-political organisations had sought approval to organise cultural events dedicated to Tagore, but all requests were allegedly rejected.

The TMC has accused the BJP of attempting to suppress Bengal’s cultural identity at a time of political change.

Following the denial of permissions, Banerjee decided to hold the Rabindra Jayanti observance near her residence in Kolkata’s Kalighat area.

The event is expected to feature songs, poetry recitations, and tributes to the Nobel laureate, who remains one of Bengal’s most revered icons.

In a strongly worded post on social media, the TMC said the celebrations would continue despite administrative hurdles.

The party claimed that Tagore’s legacy is deeply rooted in Bengal’s culture and cannot be separated from the people’s emotions and identity.

The timing of the celebrations has added symbolic weight to the day, as Suvendu Adhikari formally takes charge of the state after the BJP’s victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to mark the beginning of a new political chapter in Bengal after years of Trinamool rule under Banerjee.

Political observers believe the parallel events, one centred on governance and the other on Bengal’s cultural pride, underline the sharpening ideological contest between the BJP and the TMC in the state.