Calcutta HC grants Bengal LoP to conduct Hanuman Jayanti rally on April 12

IANS April 11, 2025 463 views

The Calcutta High Court has granted conditional permission to Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari to conduct a Hanuman Jayanti rally in Kolkata. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh's bench set strict guidelines, including a participant limit of 250 and a specific time window from 5-8 PM. The rally comes after Kolkata Police initially refused permission, continuing a pattern of alleged restrictions on Hindu religious processions. BJP leaders view this court intervention as a necessary step to ensure their right to conduct public events.

"The only way left is to approach the Calcutta High Court for permission" - BJP State Committee Member
Kolkata, April 10: A single judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Thursday, has given permission to the leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari to conduct a rally in Kolkata on April 12 on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.

Key Points

1

Calcutta HC allows 250-person rally between 5-8 PM on April 12

2

Kolkata Police initially denied permission for the event

3

DJ and sound amplification strictly prohibited

4

Route ends at Hanuman temple in North Kolkata

However, the single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh has set a number of conditions for conducting the rally scheduled at a route in North Kolkata and is supposed to end at a temple of Lord Hanuman.

As per the direction of the single-judge bench the time allotted for the rally is between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on April 12. The maximum number of participants at the rally should not be more than 250 and the participants will have to strictly abide by the sound- pollution rules, Use of DJs has also been barred at the rally.

The leader of the opposition approached Justice Ghosh's bench after the Kolkata Police denied the permission to conduct the rally on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. The matter came up for hearing on Thursday and at the end of the hearing Justice Ghosh gave the conditional permission to conduct the rally.

The state BJP leaders have claimed that whenever the question is on a procession on the occasion of any Hindu religious festival, the police either deny or remain silent on permission.

They also recalled how two Ram Navami processions in Kolkata- adjacent Howrah district were conducted on April 6 following the permission of the Calcutta High Court.

"Be it any programme on a Hindu religious festival or any public political programme by opposition parties, the only way left is to approach the Calcutta High Court for permission after police deny the same each time," said a state committee member of BJP.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul S.
Finally some good news! The court has done the right thing by allowing devotees to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti. Jai Bajrangbali! 🙏
P
Priya M.
While I support religious freedom, I hope the participants follow all the conditions set by the court. The sound pollution rules are especially important for local residents.
A
Amit K.
It's concerning that political parties have to approach courts for basic religious rights. This isn't the first time police have denied permission for Hindu festivals.
S
Sneha R.
The 250 participant limit seems reasonable. Large gatherings can get out of hand quickly. Safety first!
N
Nikhil P.
I respect the court's decision, but I wish they had allowed some traditional music. DJs I understand, but bhajans would have added to the festive spirit.
T
Tanya B.
Happy to see the judiciary upholding constitutional rights. Hope this sets a precedent for fair treatment of all religious processions.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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Tags:
Suvendu Adhikari Calcutta High Court Hanuman Jayanti West Bengal BJP Religious Rally Kolkata Politics
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