On Suvendu Adhikari's Plea, Calcutta HC Directs Bengal Government To Deploy Central Forces Ahead Of Hanuman Jayanti Celebrations

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (5 April) directed the West Bengal government to deploy central forces in assistance of the state police. This came in view of maintaining peace ahead of the upcoming Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.

The order comes in the backdrop of the recent clashes in the Rishra and Shibpur regions of the Howrah and Hooghly districts during the Ramnavami celebrations in the last few days.

Observing that prevention is better than cure, a division bench of the High Court headed by Acting Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces to avoid any breach of peace when Hanuman Jayanti processions are carried out on Thursday (6 April). 

The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on 31 March, seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the violence that broke out on 30 and 31 March.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs also issued an advisory to all the states in preparation for the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations and encouraged them to ensure the maintenance of law and order and peaceful observation of the festival.

Earlier in the day, the West Bengal government had submitted a report before the High Court on the violence in Shibpur and Rishra.

Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and “outsiders” for the violence. “Why are you taking out processions for five days? They are deliberately entering into minority areas,” she said.

BJP vice-president Dilip Ghosh, who was in the procession that was attacked, said people were walking peacefully to the Jagannath temple in Mahesh when stones were pelted on them.

BJP has also claimed that the video of a boy openly flashing a gun in a rally might not be from the procession, and the boy was allegedly affiliated to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) itself.

Section 144 remains in force in Rishra and internet services remain suspended.