HC to hear plea on cops’ refusal to holding puja

The Kolkata Police allegedly rejected their application on the ground that the Calcutta High Court had passed an order in 2005 directing them not to give permission for holding any new puja.

Advocate Tapash Chatterjee,counsel of the puja committee,said the organisers applied to the Kolkata Police for permission within the scheduled time to hold puja for the first time in a field. But the police refused to grant permission on the strength of the 2005 High Court order.

For the last few years,Paishari Puja Committee has been organising the puja in a house and there was no need for them to take permission from the police,Chatterjee said. “Police permission is required only if any organisation arranges the puja in an open space like field or roads,’’ he said.

Chatterjee pointed out that in 2005 a total 1125 community Durga Pujas were organised by clubs or other organisations in open spaces within the area of Kolkata Police and the figure has increased to more than 2500.

After such submission,the Calcutta High Court said it would hear the issue next Friday. On the other hand environmentalist Subash Dutta said there was no restriction imposed by the High Court on holding new pujas. Through the order in 2005,the court had given guidelines on holding pujas.