Muslim Mob Storm Durga Puja Pandal In Kolkata Over The Playing Of Devotional Songs

A mob of militant Muslims stormed a Durga Puja pandal in Garden Reach, a Muslim-majority area in the southwestern part of Kolkata, over the playing of devotional songs on Friday afternoon (11 October).

About 60 Muslim men entered the pandal and abused and threatened the organisers, used foul language against Hindu womenfolk, and allegedly threatened to break the murtis if playing devotional songs and Chandipath over the loudspeaker was not stopped immediately. 

The Muslim men said that the playing of Hindu devotional songs was disturbing their Friday namaz. They allegedly said that if the loudspeakers were not switched off immediately, they would break the murtis and stop the puja.

A verbal altercation ensued, and the Muslim men allegedly abused the puja organisers, including the womenfolk, using foul language. The puja is organised every year by the New Bengal Sporting Club and draws large crowds. 

The Muslims allegedly told the organisers that if they use loudspeakers again, not only will the pandal be attacked, they will not allow the puja to be held in the future. 

The Muslims also allegedly told the puja organisers that they will have to turn off the loudspeakers as soon as the azaan (call for prayers) goes out before namaz five times a day. 

Chowdhury, a retired army officer, told the Durga Puja organisers that blowing of conch shells, beating of drums, and ringing of bells — all essential parts of the puja rituals — disturb namaz, and these should be stopped five minutes before the azaan five times a day.

The restriction imposed by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government had caused a lot of disquiet among the Hindus of that country, but they could not do anything in the Muslim-majority country. 

As tempers rose in the Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, elderly Hindus and the police intervened and pushed out the Muslims from the pandal. 

The organisers later lodged a police complaint. Bengal's leader of opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, also posted about the incident on the social platform X, with video clips of angry Muslims storming the pandal. 

The police have reportedly arrested a few Muslims who could be seen in the video. The incident generated widespread anger among Hindus. The organisers have not stopped playing songs over the loudspeaker and have refused to accept the demands made by some Muslims to turn off the loudspeaker during namaz. 

Muslims have objected to Durga Puja organisers playing music during namaz before. A similar incident occurred in Entally in central Kolkata last year.