Durga Immersion Row: WB Govt to Give Nod if Situation ‘Found Fit’

This comes after the Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the immersion of Durga idols on Muharram.

TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leads an election rally in Kolkata. 

(Photo: PTI)

The West Bengal government on Friday said that permission will be granted for immersion of Durga idols on Muharram if the situation is “found to be fit”.

At a meeting of top officials presided over by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it was decided that the police would ask the puja organisers to take permission by Sunday, a senior state government official said. This comes after the Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the immersion of Durga idols on all days from 'Vijayadashami' on 30 September, including on Muharram on 1 October.

West Bengal Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya told a press conference here, “Depending on the circumstances and the situation, permission will be granted wherever it is found to be fit.” He said, “Wherever there are problems, permission will not be granted,” he said.

The state government will also not appeal against Calcutta High Court's order on Durga idol immersion, reported ANI.

Also Read: “I Will Not be Responsible for Violence,” Mamata Hits Back at HC

‘I will Take All Steps to Stop Potential Troublemakers’: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that her government would take all steps to stop potential troublemakers during Durga Puja in the state and asserted it was her resolve to ensure that celebrations pass off peacefully.

"A mere spark is enough to cause a blaze. I came to know that some outsiders have already booked ticket to Bengal to foment trouble and create nuisance," she said and warned them against trying to create any trouble.

"I must tell them that let Bengal stay like Bengal. We shall celebrate our festival in good spirit and in our own way, peacefully."

The chief minister said that her government would find a way out keeping in view the high court order.

"There is nothing to worry. We are taking steps to prevent spread of misinformation," Banerjee said after inaugurating a puja pandal here.

Security Measures to Be Put in Place

In a meeting with the chief minister, attended by some ministers and senior police officers, including the state director general of police (DGP), it was decided that the superintendents of police (SPs) in the districts bordering Bangladesh would be put on alert on immersion days to avoid any untoward incident.

State DGP Surajit Purakayastha said at the press briefing that according to intelligence inputs, "outsiders" might try to create trouble in the state during the ensuing religious occasions.

He said that all measures were being taken to maintain communal harmony in the state.

"We are keeping a close watch. If anybody tries to spread rumour and cause disturbance, we will deal with that person strictly," the DGP said.

Asking the people to contact the nearest police station in case of any emergency, the DGP said that the West Bengal Police and the Kolkata Police were working towards ensuring peace during the religious occasions.

Major Setback for Mamata, HC Allows Durga Immersion

In a setback to the West Bengal government, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rakesh Tiwari and Justice Harish Tandon on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to make necessary security arrangements and asked the state government to chalk out designated routes for immersion and tazia processions.

The state government had imposed restrictions on Durga idol immersion on Vijaydashami on 30 September after 10 pm and said no immersion would be allowed on 1 October, the day Muharram is scheduled to be observed.

The directions by the high court came on three public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the restrictions.

Passing an interim order, the court directed that processions with Durga idols reaching places of immersion by midnight would be allowed to complete the process on a given day.

The bench also directed the state government to put out advertisements to widely circulate information about the routes and also for ensuring amity and harmony between the communities.

It declined a plea of the Trinamool Congress government for a stay on the order.

Also Read: Appeasing Minorities? The Fine Print of Mamata’s Muharram Diktat

Mamata Hits Back at Calcutta HC

Hitting back at the High Court’s decision, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she will not be responsible for any violence.

They can try to start a riot but we will not let them do so. We will take precautions by all means yet if any violence breaks out, I will not be held responsible. I will not be responsible for violence, I will be responsible for peace

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee

You can slit my throat but no one can tell me what to do. Someone else will take responsibility if there is trouble.

Also Read: ‘Won’t Spare Those Who Instigate Violence on Muharram’, Didi Warns

BJP Hails Verdict

Hailing the court verdict, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the state government's attempts "to divide the people on religious lines and reap electoral benefits out of it" had been defeated.

“The same thing had happened last year also, but the government did not learn any lessons from it. This year also the state government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tried to divide the people on religious lines, but it has been foiled. It is really sad that the Hindus in West Bengal have no religious rights. They have to depend on the judiciary to celebrate Durga Puja,” he told reporters.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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