The bench said that there would not be any restriction on immersion of idols, and that they can be immersed every day after 'dashami' (September 30, the last day of the five-day puja) till midnight, including on Muharrum (October 1).
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday put on hold the West Bengal government's controversial notification that restricted Durga idol immersion on Muharrum, and ordered the administration to ensure that there is no clash between members of the two communities. The order evoked sharp reactions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who said, "Someone can slit my throat, but no one tells me what I am supposed to do."
A division bench of Justices Rakesh Tiwari and Harish Tandon ordered the government to plan the routes of Muharrum's procession and idol immersion separately, and in such a way that they do not clash. The bench directed the state's Director General of Police to take immediate steps if there was any sign of trouble.
The bench said that there would not be any restriction on immersion of idols, and that they can be immersed every day after 'dashami' (September 30, the last day of the five-day puja) till midnight, including on Muharrum (October 1).
The court criticised the state government, saying that the administration cannot act discriminately. It asked about the apprehension on the basis of which the ban was imposed. The court also said that if there was a law and order situation, there were different steps to be taken to bring the situation under control.
Banerjee called an emergency meeting with top police officials and asked them to make arrangements to implement the court order. Later in the evening, a visibly enraged Mamata said, "Someone can slit my throat, but no one tells me what I am supposed to do. I have been brought up on the lines that people of all religions should be given equal treatment," she said.
The state government had banned idol immersion after 10 pm on September 30, and said that there would be no idol immersion on October 1 because of Muharrum. Banerjee had said that there would be thousands of people on the streets and restrictions would help maintain order.
The order of the bench on Thursday, however, is interim, and the matter would be up for hearing after five weeks. After the final disposal of the case, the order of the court could be used for future reference if there is any clash of dates between Muharrum and Durga Puja.
State BJP leaders were quick to react. "This is not the first time that the court has slapped the state government for its attempted high-handedness. Mamata Banerjee must have gotten used to it," said state BJP president Dilip Ghosh.
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 "Mamata Banerjee")
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