Kolkata, 10 September (H.S.) : Senior Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra on Thursday welcomed the state government's decision to observe a dry day on Ashtami during Durga Puja and thanked the government for the move. Speaking at a fashion designing event in Kolkata, Mitra also expressed his views on the government's financial assistance to Durga Puja committees.

Mitra said abstaining from mutton, rolls and other non-vegetarian food for a day during Durga Puja could also be beneficial from a health perspective. He compared the decision to the dry day observed on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.

“If non-vegetarian food is avoided for a day and replaced with fruits, water, juice and lemon water, it can be good for the body,” Mitra said. At the same time, he stressed that people's religious and social sentiments should also be taken into consideration while taking such decisions.

Mitra also praised the state government's policies concerning Durga Puja celebrations. He claimed that in the past, prolonged government activities and programmes during the festival caused inconvenience to the public, while the government has now adopted a different approach towards the celebrations.

He also supported the government's move to provide financial assistance to smaller and economically weaker Puja clubs. Mitra said there was no need to provide government funds to Puja committees whose budgets run into crores of rupees.

Instead, he advocated extending assistance to smaller and financially weaker clubs. He also supported the idea of providing financial aid after verification of Puja committees at the local level and assessment based on their reports.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh