The reigning queen of politics On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a large meeting of Durga Puja organizers, leaders of the Muslim community and other religions. The meeting came as the immersion of Goddess Durga idols and Muharram – the Muslim day of mourning – are set for a head-on collision. She 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, because processions or tazias to mark Muharram on October 1 would begin the previous evening, explained the Chief Minister.
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.
“Some people will try to create trouble on Hindu-Muslim grounds. Every religion is ours. But if there is a problem while a procession is passing a puja pandal, we will all be affected,” Ms. Banerjee said, urging against politics.
The announcement immediately triggered virulent reaction on social media and accusations of minority appeasement against Ms. Banerjee.
Around 9:30 pm, when the situation grew more turbulent, Ms. Banerjee tweeted clarifying that Durga immersions would be suspended only on Muharram day, not the previous evening.
Last year, when there was a similar overlap, the BJP went to the Calcutta High Court, which said the time limits set by the state government for Durga idol immersion on account of Moharram were “arbitrary” and a “clear endeavour” by the state to “appease the minority section of the public”.
It would be “dangerous to mix politics with religion”, the order of October 6 by Justice Dipankar Dutta said. No decision should be taken that could pit “one community against another”, and that “intolerance would rise in the event of such arbitrary decision” of the government.
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