# Amit Shah to open Mahalaya at Eden Gardens, not PM Modi

2026-10-02T23:11:47+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Union home minister Amit Shah will attend the Mahalaya celebrations at Eden Gardens on 10 October, a senior Nabanna official told Times of India. This ends speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would grace the event. The state government had invited PM Modi but received no confirmation from his office. The Indian Express reported on 26 September that preparations were underway to welcome PM Modi, who would open the grand celebration of Durga Puja. The two outlets disagree on who will attend. Both report that 6,000 artists, 3,000 dhakis, a laser show, drone show and fireworks are planned. Shah may inaugurate five pujas including Sreebhumi Sporting and Suruchi Sangha. A roadshow with CM Suvendu Adhikari will precede the event, which will be telecast live at 35 locations.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The Indian Express and Times of India differ on the chief guest for the 10 October Eden Gardens event. Indian Express reported PM Modi would open the celebration, based on unnamed sources and preparations described as in full swing. Times of India reports, citing a senior Nabanna official, that home minister Amit Shah will attend instead, as no confirmation came from the PM's office. The Indian Express story predates the Times of India report by a week, and the confirmed schedule appears to have changed. Both outlets agree on the cultural programme's scale, the five pujas, and the presence of CM Adhikari. The key unresolved question is whether PM Modi will make any appearance or whether the event is now definitively Shah's. The Times of India report, published later, carries the confirmed plan and is the more definitive account.

## Coverage

Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
- indianexpress.com (neutral report) <https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/pm-modi-eden-gardens-durga-puja-inauguration-mahalaya-10895099/>
  Reports preparations assuming PM Modi will attend, no contradiction or update
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/not-pm-but-home-min-amit-shah-to-attend-mahalaya-event-at-eden-gardens/articleshow/134646094.cms>
  Reports confirmed change to Amit Shah, citing a government official

This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.

Tags: Amit Shah, Durga Puja, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Mahalaya, Narendra Modi
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/amit-shah-to-open-mahalaya-at-eden-gardens-not-pm-modi/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/amit-shah-to-open-mahalaya-at-eden-gardens-not-pm-modi/#story-in-brief

How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/