BJP, RSS calls Mamata Banerjee's capping on Durga Puja idol immersion 'unconstitutional'

Kolkata: The BJP and RSS on Thursday came down on the West Bengal government for deciding not to allow immersion of Durga idols on the day of Muharram on 1 October and described the decision as ‘unconstitutional’ and an insult to the Hindu community. [caption id=“attachment_3039992” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday directed SPs in the districts to talk to Durga Puja committees and Muharram committees regarding holding of their respective rallies and said that there would not be any idol immersion on 1 October. “This year Durga Puja & Muharram fall on the same day. Except for a 24 hour period on the day of Muharram, immersion will resume on 2 October and will continue till 4 October,” she said in a tweet. Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh criticised the decision as arbitrary and an attempt to appease the Muslim community of the state for the sake of vote bank politics. “Why will Hindus be not allowed to celebrate their biggest festival? For the last few years, same thing has been happening. The decision is completely baseless and unconstitutional. It has been taken to appease the Muslim community of the state,” Ghosh said. According to state BJP leadership, the party is planning to seek a legal opinion about the decision. West Bengal RSS unit is also unhappy with the decision and said the Hindus of Bengal would not abide by such decisions of the government. “The Hindus of the state will not abide by such decisions. Every year same thing happens. My question is every puja committee needs to take permission from the police, but how many police permissions have actually been taken to take out Muharram processions? I would request the police to come out with the data,” RSS spokesperson Jishnu Basu said.