Leader of opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday urged Saraswati Puja organisers to amply use lotus during the rituals as he hit out at TMC for insulting the national flower. In an apparent dig at TMC MLA Madan Mitra who stirred a row by tearing lotus petals on camera and asking people to shun using it in protest against Centre’s “discrimination” towards West Bengal, Adhikari said such statements expose the political bankruptcy of the ruling TMC.

“comments, some people are insulting our national flower. They don’t know the importance of lotus. They don’t know that two different things cannot be linked in this fashion,” he said, speaking at a blood donation camp at Panchla in Howrah district. The BJP leader urged organisers of community Saraswati Pujas to amply use lotus during the rituals on February 5 and 6.

“Give a befitting reply to those in Trinamool Congress who speak against lotus,” Adhikari added. Mitra had made the comments at a flower show in Belgharia earlier this week, triggering a controversy. “Don’t use lotus. Tear the petals into pieces and use hibiscus instead. This is our protest against the discrimination towards Bengal with regard to the Padma award given to Sandhya Mukhopadhyay,” he had said. Mukhopadhyay, a noted singer, had refused the Centre’s offer of a Padma Shri, stating that it was more deserving of a junior artiste and demeaning for a singer of her stature.

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