The Calcutta High Court has taken serious note of a petition filed by BJP Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, concerning alleged communal violence in Kolkata’s Rajabazar area, urging the West Bengal government to maintain peace and order during the ongoing festival season. The petition, which was discussed in a session on Wednesday, points to incidents purportedly targeting Hindu and Sikh communities, including attacks on temples and a Gurudwara.
Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice H Bhattacharya have directed the state government to provide a comprehensive report on the incidents by November 21. The court emphasized the state’s duty to ensure that festivals like Chhath Puja are celebrated without disruptions. “It is the responsibility of the State to ensure that people celebrate the festival with the usual fervour without any hindrance,” the bench stated.
During the hearing, Adhikari’s counsel described a distressing scenario involving a mob, allegedly a thousand strong, which targeted religious structures and individuals based on their community. Contrarily, the State’s Advocate General Kishore Datta presented a different view, attributing the turmoil to a personal dispute that escalated due to the involvement of weapons, thereby dismissing the communal angle.
Datta defended the response of the police, noting that swift actions such as the registration of six FIRs and the arrest of 23 individuals were taken to control the situation. He also accused certain factions of fabricating a narrative of communal conflict to stoke tensions through social media.
Chief Justice Sivagnanam raised concerns about the reported lack of media coverage on the violence, questioning the implications of such attacks on places of worship and the general public. He highlighted that attacks on religious sites are attacks on public peace and should be covered as significant news.
The court also heard claims of intimidation against journalists who reported on the events, with reports of arrests and financial scrutiny, which Adhikari’s counsel argued were part of broader intimidatory tactics by the state.
Acknowledging Adhikari’s political role and the potential public interest his plea represents, Chief Justice Sivagnanam remarked, “He holds a very responsible position,” indicating the court’s recognition of the gravity of the allegations.
