West Bengal: Despite high court ruling, Mamata Banerjee ban Durga visarjan on Muharram

The West Bengal government has announced that during this year’s Durga puja, idol immersion or visarjan ceremony will not be allowed a day after Vijaya Dashami on October 1, due to Muharram. This comes despite such a decision being struck down by the Calcutta High Court after it was challenged by multiple Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed last year.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the decision during a meeting with Durga puja organisers in Kolkata on Wednesday evening.

“On Vijaya Dashami, immersion has to end by 6 PM as Muhurram processions will be taken out after that. If both happen together at the same time, there may be problems. I am seeking your cooperation on this. Some people will try to bank on this opportunity and create all kinds of provocation, using Hindus and Muslims as tools,” Banerjee told the puja organisers.

Later she tweeted, “Except for a 24-hour period on the day of Muharram, immersions can take place on October 2, 3 and 4.”

In a similar move last year, the West Bengal government had issued restrictions on idol immersion with Vijaya Dashami being celebrated just a day ahead of Muharram on October 13.

However, the government’s decision was rebuked by the Calcutta High Court terming it “arbitrary” and a “clear endeavour” by the State to “appease the minority section of the public”.

A single judge bench headed by Justice Dipankar Dutta in its October 6, 2016 order had stated that no such decision should be taken that pits “one community against another”.

“To put it straight, the State government has been irresponsibly brazen in its conduct of being partial to one community, thereby infringing upon the fundamental rights of people worshiping Maa Durga,” the order stated, highlighting that such restrictions had never been placed on immersion of Durga idols during Vijaya Dashami on earlier occasions in Bengal.

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