Blow to Mamta, Kolkata HC nod's Durga immersion on Muharram

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court today greensignalled the immersion of Durga idol on the day of Muharram, setting aside a State Government notification prohibiting immersion on the day of the Muslim festival. A two-judge Bench, headed by acting Chief Justice R K Tiwary, asked the Mamata Banerjee Government to make necessary deployment of security personnel to ensure safety of both communities of the society on that day.

Earlier yesterday, the Bench questioned Ms Banerjee's directive to limit immersion to avoid clash with Muharram. “ Chief minister Mamata Banerjee claims that communal harmony exists in the state of West Bengal, ” acting Chief Justice R K Tiwary said, asking, “ If there is harmony, what she is afraid of. ” State Advocate General Kishore Datta on Friday told the High Court that it would allow immersion of Durga idols till 10 PM on Bijoya Dashami, extending the time by four hours from the deadline, earlier announced by Ms Banerjee.

The government issued a fresh order, saying there was “typographical error” in the earlier one. Mr Datta said, ' l showed the court a fresh circular issued by the government on Thursday. ' On August 23 the Chief Minister said in Twitter that immersion would be allowed till 6 PM on September 30 and there would be no immersion at all on October 1, which was kept for Taazia procession during Muharram.

Later, on September 9, the government issued an order imposing the restriction, mentioned in Ms Banerjee’s tweet, adding that immersion would take place on October 2 and 3. The matter came before the High Court scanner after a public interest litigation was filed complaining that the Mamata Banerjee government was trying to divide people on the basis of religion. The PIL stated that the decision of the State Government was like casting an aspersion on the people of the two communities. ' The government's decision translates into an insinuation that the two communities are not capable of holding their back-to-back religious events peacefully and without turning into one another, ' the petitioner stated. (UNI)