Amit Shah to attend Kolkata Durga Puja event on October 10 instead of PM Modi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to attend the Durga Puja celebrations at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on October 10, Mahalaya, instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Officials at Nabanna, the West Bengal state secretariat, confirmed that invitations had been extended to both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. However, a tentative itinerary from Amit Shah’s office has now cleared weeks of speculation over whether PM Modi would attend the event.

According to officials, state representatives met Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) officials on Thursday and informed them about the change in the chief guest lineup. Following this, the Cultural Affairs Department revised the event plan.

The Durga Puja programme at Eden Gardens is scheduled to take place on October 10, coinciding with Mahalaya. The expected participation of Amit Shah will make the Union Home Minister the chief guest instead of the Prime Minister.

Despite the change in the chief guest, security arrangements at Eden Gardens remain under the control of the Special Protection Group (SPG).

The SPG took control of the stadium premises on September 25 and is scheduled to remain in charge until October 15 as part of the security arrangements surrounding the event.

The change comes after weeks of speculation regarding the possible participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kolkata Durga Puja programme. With Shah's tentative itinerary now communicated to the state authorities, preparations for the October 10 event are being revised accordingly.