Kolkata, June 9, 2026
Amid allegations of the misuse of UNESCO’s name and logo during Durga Puja-related activities, complainant Jaydeep Mukhopadhyay on Tuesday termed the matter the “biggest art scam” and called for a thorough investigation into the issue.
Speaking to IANS, Mukhopadhyay alleged that an organisation named Mass Art had been using UNESCO’s name and logo in connection with Durga Puja events over the past few years.
“This is the biggest scam. Just think about it – an organisation like UNESCO, and its name and logo were allegedly used by this organisation called Mass Art in 2022, 2023 and 2024. They divided Durga Puja and collected money from branding companies, ministries, tourism and cultural organisations. One can only imagine the scale of this alleged scam. It is not merely a scam; it is a matter of the country’s honour,” he said.
Mukhopadhyay claimed that the issue had affected the image of Durga Puja and the sentiments of people in West Bengal, where the festival holds immense cultural and economic significance.
Referring to UNESCO’s recognition of the festival, he said, “Durga Puja was inscribed in 2021 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I have filed a complaint against Mass Art President Madhu Chanda Sen, who is the wife of Indranil Sen. They allegedly claimed that UNESCO was a partner with Mass Art and that 24 Durga Puja pandals would be selected from among nearly 1,000 in Kolkata.
They also made it mandatory to purchase tickets costing between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000. This, in my view, amounted to a form of mafia-like control and an art scam.”
Mukhopadhyay, who described himself as an international travel consultant, said he had been working since 2010 to promote Durga Puja globally.
“At a time when Durga Puja was not among the world’s most recognised festivals, I worked to promote it internationally. I gave interviews to several media organisations and encouraged vloggers and content creators to visit Kolkata and showcase the festival globally. It was a passion-driven effort,” he said.
Claiming that he had shared relevant documents with the Chief Minister and the BJP’s West Bengal leadership, Mukhopadhyay demanded an impartial probe.
“I believe this is a major art scam, and I want a proper investigation. I had known about certain aspects of the issue earlier, but I did not speak out because there was a culture of fear and intimidation during the Trinamool Congress. Now, I want the truth to come out and for the glory and dignity of Durga Puja to be restored,” he told IANS.
Meanwhile, an international tourism company has lodged a police complaint against former state minister Indranil Sen and his wife, accusing them of illegally selling pre-Puja tickets by misusing the name of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The complaint was filed at the Bowbazar Police Station in central Kolkata. There are allegations that they were running an illegal commercial racket centred around Durga Puja.
On behalf of the international organisation, Joydeep Mukherjee filed a complaint against the former minister, Indranil, and his wife. A separate complaint was also filed with the Director General of Police.
According to the complaint, Kolkata’s Durga Puja received UNESCO recognition in 2021. In 2022, an organisation named MassArt was formed and allegedly began financial activities using UNESCO’s name and logo. Madhuchanda Sen, the wife of Indranil Sen, heads the organisation.
MassArt claimed that it had selected 24 Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata in a joint venture with UNESCO. Joydeep complained that the organisation’s statement was completely false. MaasArt had no such agreement with UNESCO. Tickets for the pre-Puja were sold illegally using the name and logo of UNESCO.
It is alleged that transactions worth crores of rupees were involved in this. Following the allegations, Indranil Sen has yet to make any official comment.(Agency)
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