The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted permission to the non-profit organization Anjani Putra Sena to conduct a Ram Navami procession in Howrah on March 26. However, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya imposed a series of strict conditions, including a cap on the number of participants and a total prohibition on the brandishing of weapons, to ensure public order.
The matter reached the High Court after Anjani Putra Sena filed a petition claiming that local police had refused them permission to hold their annual Ram Navami rally in Howrah city. The petitioner asserted a long-standing tradition, stating that they have consistently organized these processions for the past 25 years.
This petition follows a related order on March 20, where the court had already permitted the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to hold its own Ram Navami rally in the same area between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM on the same day.
The counsel for Anjani Putra Sena argued that the organization had a fundamental right to carry out its traditional religious activities, which it has performed for over two decades.
Representing the West Bengal government, Advocate General Kishore Dutta did not oppose the procession entirely but prayed that the court schedule the Anjani Putra Sena event for the morning hours. The state’s primary concern was to prevent a logistical and security clash with the previously sanctioned VHP rally scheduled for the afternoon.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya observed that while religious expressions are permitted, they must be regulated to maintain harmony and public safety, especially when multiple events are scheduled for the same date and location.
To prevent a “clash with the timing” of the VHP rally, the court determined that a morning window was appropriate for the petitioner. Furthermore, the court addressed security concerns by limiting the scale of the event and the nature of the items carried by participants.
Justice Bhattacharyya granted permission for the procession to take place on March 26, specifically between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM.
The court’s order included the following mandatory conditions:
- Participant Cap: The number of participants must not exceed 500 at any given time.
- Weapon Prohibition: No weapons of any kind are to be brandished during the procession.
- Symbolic Items: Participants are permitted to carry flags or symbolic weapons, provided they are made exclusively of PVC.
- Vehicular Limits: Only one vehicle is allowed in the rally, which must be used solely for carrying the tableau and the idol of Lord Rama.
The court directed the organizers to ensure strict compliance with these restrictions to maintain peace in Howrah during the festivities.
