The West Bengal government had issued an order banning idol immersion after 10pm on September 30, the last day of the five-day festival, and on October 1 on account of Muharram.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of Durga Puja pandal on the occasion of ‘Mahalaya’, in Kolkata on September 19, 2017. Photo credit: PTI
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday set aside the Mamata Banerjee government’s order banning immersion of Durga idols on Moharram and directed the police to ensure adequate security arrangements to avoid any communal flare-up.
The West Bengal government had earlier issued an order banning idol immersion after 10pm on September 30, the last day of the five-day festival, and on October 1 on account of Muharram.
A division bench of acting chief justice Rakesh Tiwari and justice Harish Tandon took the view that the government order was arbitrary. The justices directed the police to chalk out separate procession routes for Durga Puja and Moharram processions on September 30 (Vijaya Dashami) and October 1 (Moharram). Immersion of the goddess’ idols marks the end of the 5-day Durga Puja.
Responding to the judgment, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said if there was any violence on October 1, the “conspirators” will be responsible. The reference was clearly to the BJP and the sangh parivar who have repeatedly accused her of Muslim appeasement.
“Someone can even slit my throat, but I will not succumb to conspiracy,” Banerjee said while inaugurating a community Durga puja in south Kolkata, without referring to the high court order.
Speaking at a Puja pandal in south Kolkota a day before the judgment, the chief minister asked why no one accused her of Hindu appeasement when she attended Durga or Ganesh festivals.
Insisting that the government order on restricting idol immersion had nothing to do with appeasement she had declared, “If this is appeasement I shall continue to do so as long as I am alive. I will do it even if a gun is held to my head. I don’t discriminate. That’s the culture of Bengal, that’s my culture.
While many had called the government’s two-week old order as an infringement on fundamental rights, the government had held that maintaining law and order at a time when large numbers of people are on the streets was the sole concern.