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Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty alleged that she was heckled and abused on stage for not singing a “secular” song during a live performance at a private school.
Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty. (Photo: X)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mehboob Mallik for allegedly heckling Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty for singing a religious song related to Durga Puja during a live performance at a private school in Purba Medinipur.
The controversy came after Chakraborty alleged that she was abused and nearly assaulted during the live performance for singing the song ‘Jago Ma’, which was released during the last Durga Puja. She filed a police complaint, where she identified Mehboob Mallik, one of the owners of the school, for allegedly abusing and nearly assaulting her.
After the incident sparked outrage, BJP spokesperson Pradip Bhandari accused the TMC of suppressing Hindu chants and hurting the religious sentiments of millions of Bengalis.
“‘Jago Ma’ silenced in Bengal. Famous Bengali Singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was heckled and abused for singing a Durga Maa song — declared “not secular enough” by a TMC neta. TMC NETA Mahboob Malik, abused her on stage,” he said on X.
“The same “Joy Maa” that Bengalis chant for Maa Kali is now deemed offensive. The same ‘ JOY MAA’ chants that millions of Bengali use to pay their devotion to Maa Kaali. TMC IS NOW DIRECTLY SUPRESSING HINDU CHANT USED FOR PRAYING TO MAA KALI. Bengali Asmita reduced to a TRIFLE!” he added.
‘Jago Ma’ silenced in Bengal.Famous Bengali Singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was heckled and abused for singing a Durga Maa song — declared “not secular enough” by a TMC neta.
TMC NETA Mahboob Malik, abused her on stage.
The same “Joy Maa” that Bengalis chant for Maa Kali is now… pic.twitter.com/XsLtlyvPnr
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) December 21, 2025
What Are Chakraborty’s Allegations?
Chakraborty said that while she was performing at South Point Public School, the event began smoothly until she finished singing the seventh song on her list, which was religious in nature. “The seventh song I had just completed was ‘Jago Ma’ from the film Debi Choudhurani, which was released during the last Durga Puja,” she said in her police complaint.
She then described how a man suddenly rushed onto the stage. “After finishing this song, while I was talking to the audience before starting the eighth song, the man suddenly ran onto the stage and came very close to me -almost up to my lips. At that point, 2–3 people stopped him. I do not know who they were,” she wrote.
The singer said the man attempted to physically assault her. “Although he attempted to hit me, he could not do so because he was restrained,” she said. “When he failed to hit me and was being taken off the stage, he shouted, ‘There has been enough ‘Jago Ma’; now sing something secular’.”
Chakraborty said the comment was clearly heard by everyone present and she decided to stop the show immediately. She lodged a police complaint and named Mehboob Mallik as the accused, saying he is also a member of the school’s governing body.
Police confirmed that a man has been arrested in connection with the incident. An investigation is ongoing based on the singer’s complaint and statements from those present at the venue.
December 21, 2025, 14:50 IST
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