Kolkata, 24 March (H.S.): The alleged vandalisation of the statue of freedom fighter martyr Raghunath Mahato at the Dedua Bridge in the Khatra area of Bankura district has triggered a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Trinamool Congress strongly reacting to the incident.

According to reports, the statue was found damaged on Tuesday morning, with allegations that it was vandalised during the night. Political parties have since condemned the incident and demanded strict action against those responsible.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari described the incident as “highly condemnable and unfortunate” in a social media post. He said that tribal and indigenous communities in the state are already facing challenges related to their rights over water, forests and land, and such incidents further hurt their sentiments.

He also alleged that there has been a series of incidents involving damage to idols of deities, temples and statues of eminent personalities in the state, calling the trend a matter of concern.

Adhikari said that vandalising the statue of a revolutionary figure like Raghunath Mahato was not just an insult to an individual but an attack on history, culture and social identity. He demanded immediate identification of the culprits and strict legal action to set an example.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress Ranibandh Assembly candidate Tanushree Hansda also visited the spot on Tuesday morning and strongly condemned the incident. She said the act was not merely an instance of vandalism but an attack on history, dignity and the spirit of struggle.

She added that such incidents tarnish social values and traditions and cannot be accepted under any circumstances.

On the other hand, BJP candidate from the Ranibandh Assembly constituency, Khudiram Tudu, also visited the site to take stock of the situation. He termed the incident unfortunate and said it had hurt the sentiments of local residents.

Tudu questioned the administration over recurring such incidents and asked where the lapses in security arrangements were. He demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and exemplary punishment to prevent recurrence.

He further said that martyr Raghunath Mahato symbolises the identity and pride of the region and that any disrespect towards his legacy would not be tolerated.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh