In 2022, the puja clubs in Kolkata had decided to drop the “VIP culture” tag. Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had slammed the “VIP culture” at puja pandals. Following her remark, several puja organisers had done away with “VIP gates” and “VIP passes”. The tradition is still followed in the city. This culture still exists in Guwahati and it is more visible during occasions like Durga Puja.
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A city-based social activist, former legislator and Padmashree awardee Ajoy Kumar Dutta talking to GPlus said, “Nowadays, Durga Puja is just an occasion for fun and frolic,” adding that there are only a few places where puja is a devotional matter and there is no VIP culture there. He said Ramkrishna Mission Puja, Pan Bazar Hari Sabha Puja and Uzan Bazar Barwari Puja are some pujas where everybody is equal. He explained that in Hari Sabha, Pan Bazar where he is also a member the then chief minister was asked once not to visit because it created problems for the general public. “One district commissioner used to come with his family in the evenings to sit and watch aarti,” Dutta said, adding that he is a very low profile officer and never shows his bureaucratic powers. He said all VIPs are not like that. He said that in some puja committees only because someone had paid good sponsorship amounts and never done any good to the society are felicitated with gamosa and made to sit on the stage which is concerning. General public are given less importance in many puja pandals and only VIPs are given preference.
A source in the Kamakhya Devalaya talking to GPlus on condition of anonymity said that VIP culture also exists in Kamakhya. “There are genuine VIPs like politicians, bureaucrats, and so on but there are their relatives too who also come as VIPs,” said the source, adding that the temple committee is facing issues because of it. On enquiring if there is any proposal of ending VIP culture in Kamakhya, the source said there are two types of VIP entries inside the temple, one is by purchasing a Rs. 500 pass to visit Maa Kamakhya and second is VIP passes issued by the district administration.
“Rs. 500 VIP entry cannot be stopped because it is one of the major sources of revenue generation for Kamakhya temple with the help of which the temple functions,” adding that the passes issued by the district administration depend on the district commissioner (DC). The source further said that the DC has many senior officials and it is difficult for him to say no to the seniors. The source further said that the present chief minister is also against the VIP culture and he tries not to visit the temple on the day when the door of the temple opens after Ambubachi, he tries to visit the temple when there is less rush. The source said that the chief minister is mulling to reduce the VIP pass system issued by the administration. It needs to be mentioned that during Durga Puja many VIPs visit Kamakhya.
It is not only Kamakhya, but VIP culture exists in many puja pandals during Durga puja. Prasad is offered to VIPs in a different room whereas the general public have to wait in long queues to partake of prasad. In many puja pandals VIPs inaugurate the puja, bigger the name of the VIP, better the puja.
