Hanuman Jayanti festival: CM Mamata-led Bengal govt to deploy paramilitary forces in state

The West Bengal government has been ordered by the Calcutta High Court to requisition paramilitary forces to assist the state police to maintain order during celebrations of Hanuman Jayanti. Paramilitary forces will be deployed in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.

According to the court, the order was issued in light of recent occurrences in order to reassure the public that they are safe and will not be affected by any ruckus. 

During and after the Ram Navami processions last week, there were clashes between two groups at certain locations in the Howrah and Hooghly districts.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has decided to hold 500 Hanuman Jayanti programmes across the state on April 6 amid the furore over violence that occurred during West Bengal's celebration of Ram Navami. No weapons would be carried in the state during the Hanuman Jayanti processions, according to Sachindranath Singha, assistant national secretary of the VHP.

"Around 500 small programmes would be organised across the state. We won't take out too many rallies and only a few will be held. No weapons will be carried during the rallies," he said. Singha responded in the negative when asked if the choice to host fewer processions was a result of the violence that occurred during Ram Navami.

A day after fresh violence disrupted local railway services in Rishra town in the Hooghly district, the Union home ministry on Tuesday sought a report on the Ram Navami clashes from the Mamata government. 

The West Bengal government was instructed to requisition central forces to prevent any breach of peace when Hanuman Jayanti demonstrations are held on Thursday by a division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, who noted that prevention is better than cure.

The bench also directed the central government to provide the personnel when requested by the Bengal government. According to Advocate General S N Mookherjee's statement to the court, the police in the state have received almost 2,000 requests to organise Hanuman Jayanti demonstrations.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Legislature, filed a PIL that led to the decision. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged people to observe the Hanuman Jayanti celebration peacefully.