"Old Saying From Ancestors": BJP MLA On "Firecrackers Cure Diseases" Remark

BJP's Bengal MLA Papiya Adhikari began with a smile, and then, while answering a question, quickly blamed the media for giving a different spin to her now viral "bursting firecrackers can cure several diseases" comment.

"Nahi, nahi aisa baat koi kuch nahi hai. Ye media waalon ne kya maine kar rahe hain mujhe pata nahi hai. Ye nahi karna chahiye (No, no, nothing like that at all. I don't know what the media is up to. They shouldn't be doing this)," she, continuing to smile, said in Hindi.

The actor-turned-MLA then pinned it on the ancestors.

"Purvaj ka ye kahavat tha ki ye sab hota hai. Asal main ye deep ka parv hai. Diya jalane ka parv hai. Samajik jitna buraiyaan hota hai woh mitaya jaata hai. Toh ye hamara jo yagya hota tha, ya deep jalane se bahut kuch mitaya jaata tha. Abhi toh firecrackers ka yug aa gaya toh abhi science itna badh chuka hai ki ye baat abhi theek nahi hai (Our ancestors used to say that all of this - the lighting of lamps - serves a purpose. In essence, this is a festival of lights - a festival of lighting lamps - meant to eradicate social evils. In the past, this ritual - this yagya or the act of lighting lamps - was believed to help eliminate many such ills)," she said.

The Tollygunge MLA admitted that such talk is not appropriate for this age where science has progressed so much.

"Abhi toh firecrackers ka yug aa gaya toh abhi science itna badh chuka hai ki ye baat abhi theek nahi hai (We have now entered the era of firecrackers. Given how far science and technology have advanced, this traditional practice is no longer considered appropriate)," the MLA said.

Then came the apology: first, like she was bestowing a gift, then as a definite act.

"Toh agar koi aahat hua toh hum kshama maang lete hain. Hum mera baat wapas bhi le sakte hain. Wapas le liya, samjho. Lekin ye samajik buraiyaan mit jata tha, abhi mit jaati hai (So, if anyone has been hurt, we apologise. We can even retract what we said - consider it retracted. But these social evils used to be eradicated, and they are still being eradicated today)," she said.

The MLA had made the problematic comments while she had gone to inaugurate a Kali Puja in her constituency.

As she began speaking, a firecracker went off in front of her.

"Our Chief Minister has said that we will burst firecrackers. How can Kalu Puja be complete without firecrackers? We will definitely burst firecrackers. However, we will follow the guidelines by the police," she said, speaking in Bangla, adding, "You will see that bursting firecrackers will cure several diseases."

Earlier today, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari claimed that noise pollution was largely under control during this year's Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations, defending the bursting of green firecrackers as part of the festivities.

The Chief Minister acknowledged that some firecrackers were burst beyond the permitted hours.

Reacting to complaints of deafening firecracker noise across Kolkata and other parts of the state on Kali Puja night, Adhikari said, "The complaints are being raised by communists."

The Chief Minister alleged that sections of his political opponents were uncomfortable with what he described as the resurgence of Sanatan traditions in Bengal, accusing the Left of having reduced Hindu religious festivals to cultural events while distancing themselves from religious practices.

"Some people have a problem because of this resurgence of Sanatan traditions. Those raising complaints had turned Hindu festivals into cultural programmes and pushed religious scriptures aside. They do not wear a tilak, do not have the Bipattarini thread on their hands or tulsi beads around their necks," he said.