Immersion will be allowed on Oct 1 if situation is found fit: Bengal government

A day after the Calcutta High Court lifted restrictions on Durga Puja immersion imposed by the West Bengal regime, the administration on Friday said it would allow the immersion on the 'Ashura' day of Muharram only if the situation and circumstances are found fit.

"The court has asked the state government to take responsibility so that the rituals of all the communities can be observed properly. The permission for immersion would be granted as per the judgement of the state administration," state Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya told the media after a high level meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna.

"At the end of the day, depending upon the circumstances, wherever the situation is found fit, permission would be given. Whereever there are problems, permissions will not be granted," he added.

Meanwhile, state Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purkyastha, who was also present at the meeting, claimed to have got intelligence inputs about outsiders entering the state to foment violence and unrest.

"We have inputs that some people may come here to create violence and disrupt the peace. We are keeping an eye on them according to our intelligence input. If anyone tries to create any sort of unrest or disturbance we will take strict actions against them," he said.

He said the state police has already conducted several meetings at various levels to maintain peace and harmony during the festive season.

"We have conducted several meetings at the district and state level. We are taking necessary steps so that unity and communal harmony can be maintained during (Durga) puja and Muharram," he said.

The officer also appealed the people not to be misguided by social media posts and said strict action would be taken if anybody posts provocative messages on social media.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday lifted all the restrictions on Durga Puja immersion imposed by the West Bengal government, allowing it till 12 a.m. on all days including on 'Ashura', the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram.

The state government earlier banned idol immersion after 10 p.m. on September 30 - Dashami when the Durga Puja ends - and on October 1, when the Muslim community will mark Muharram. The state government had decreed that immersion would resume on October 2 and continue up to October 4.

The decision stoked a controversy as BJP and RSS termed the state's order as unconstitutional. BJP President Amit Shah questioned the order and accused the West Bengal government of resorting to appeasement politics, looking at the vote bank of a certain community.

--IANS

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