Between taazia and puja

In the eye of the storm is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: She has been accused by her detractors for creating disharmony

Durga puja has its own intricacies: on the one hand it brings festivities, on the other complications. This time around it is about pitching one community against the other, alleged to be scripted by none other than politicians and fundamentalists in India.

 In the eye of the storm is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: her government has been censured by the Court and the fiery Chief Minister  herself accused  by her detractors for creating disharmony.

But Mamata Banerjee is not one to be cowed down. Therefore she took on both with the aggression so characteristic of her.  

"Slit my throat but no one tells me what to do," a defiant Mamata Banerjee declared after a court order which was interpreted by many as a “rap on the  knuckles” of her government.   

It all began with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal announcing that the immersion of Durga idols would have to be done by 6 pm on September 30. This restriction was imposed in view of the Taazia procession by Muslims during Muharram. The other alternative was to postpone the immersion by a day till Muharram was over.

Some devotees immerse the idols on the day after Dashami.But the government said the next day was reserved for Taaziaprocession.

The West Bengal government cited law and order as the reason to keep the two rituals apart on grounds that things could get out of hand when tens of thousands of people are on the streets for as part of the festival. The restrictions, the state said, were a preventive measure to rule out any issue that could jeopardize communal harmony.

This was enough to raise the hackles of the pro Hindu elements. What followed was filing a Public Interest litigation in the Calcutta High Court on grounds that  the Mamata government was trying to divide people on the basis of religion.

The PIL further stated  that this was like casting an aspersion on the people of the two communities; an insinuation about Hindus and Muslims being incapable of holding their back-to-back religious events peacefully .

"Why can't two communities celebrate together? When you are firm there is communal harmony in the state, why are you creating communal distinction between the two? Let them live in harmony. Do not create a line between them. Let them live together," the court said. It also said that the state cannot hinder a citizen’s right to practice religion on the basis of a mere assumption.

Seeking “concrete grounds” for its decision, the Court  said, "If you dream that something will go wrong, you cannot impose restrictions”. The administration, it said, could regulate the routes for the immersion processions to follow and those through which the processions of Muharram would pass.

“People have the right to practice their religious activities, whichever community they may be of, and the state cannot put restrictions, unless it has a concrete ground to believe that two communities cannot live together,” the Court said.

The government, while announcing the restrictions, had said that some people could create trouble along communal lines and there could be a problem if a procession is passing a puja pandal: “Every religion is ours. But if there is a problem...  we will all be affected," it said adding that it  was prudent to take preventive measures.

It also said that false news was being spread about the government trying to restrict the rituals of the puja to stoke communal passion and create a volatile situation.

The finger was clearly being pointed at the BJP. A war of words has already ensued between Banerjee and her political opponents who are accusing her of minority appeasement.  

Muslims form 27 percent of West Bengal’s population and are a solid vote bank. Under the circumstances, non BJP parties are vying with each other to curry favour with the Muslims. Mamata being Chief Minister gives her an edge because pro-minority decisions could benefit her electorally.  

However, for record, Mamata Banerjee has said that she believes in the “religion of humanity” and not  in appeasement”.

"If I go to Muslim festival, people term it as appeasement. But when I go the Chhath Puja celebrations or observe Buddha Purnima, does anybody ask whom am I appeasing? When I go to the temples or be present in the midnight prayer on Christmas, does anyone raise the question of appeasement?" she asked.

It did not end here. A defiant Mamata said that even if a gun is held to her head, she will not discriminate: “If this is appeasement, I shall continue to do so as long as I am alive” she said responding to allegations of her  pampering the state’s Muslim population at the cost of Hindus.

The knives are clearly out. It is Mamata Banerjee versus the BJP and the right wing groups who, apart from allegations and counter-allegations are doing what it takes to woo their respective vote-banks particularly because  elections, both local and national, are due.

Banerjee did not confine the battle to state politics but also targeted the BJP led government at the Centre of hatching a conspiracy against West Bengal and alleged its bid to create unrest and disrupt peace. Clearly an issue blown out of proportion, the West Bengal Chief Minister said that to immerse the goddess on Saturday or Akadoshi, the day after Dussehra, is against the norm and therefore to raise a hue and cry about a date-shift is only an attempt to disrupt peace and harmony in the state and “demean the festival”.

If Mamata Banerjee issued a “warning” against those conspiring to create unrest, the BJP charged her with a“deliberate attempt to create communal divide”. It declared that the Hindus of the state will not abide by such decisions.“Why will Hindus be not allowed to celebrate their biggest festival?” the  BJP  questioned, clearly stoking the fires.

Spurred by politics, both warring groups  have blood on their hands. While BJP President Amit Shah has his mind set on capturing West Bengal in 2019, Mamata Banerjee could well put some machinations to upstage her rivals. It is in this game, dangerous though, that religion comes in handy, as does pitching  Hindus against Muslims.   Durga immersions versus Taazia procession controversy is a sure recipe to incite communal passions. If Banerjee is eyeing the Muslim votes, then her rival, the  BJP is consolidating its Hindu base. The panchayat polls, that are round the corner, would be a test case. Rabble rousers are working overtime and inciting youth to ferment trouble.

Administratively the onus of maintaining harmony is on the state government. Irrespective of politics, it has to ensure that both the idol-immersion and Taazia procession do not ignite a communal flare-up.

On this count, the decision to segregate the two and keep them on different dates is prudent and wise.

Politically, the stakes are very high and elections fast becoming a matter of life and death, one cannot put it past either the BJP or its rivals to do what it takes to steal a march over the other. And if this means playing with fire, so be it.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected]) 

Between taazia and puja

In the eye of the storm is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: She has been accused by her detractors for creating disharmony

Durga puja has its own intricacies: on the one hand it brings festivities, on the other complications. This time around it is about pitching one community against the other, alleged to be scripted by none other than politicians and fundamentalists in India. In the eye of the storm is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: her government has been censured by the Court and the fiery Chief Minister herself accused by her detractors for creating disharmony. But Mamata Banerjee is not one to be cowed down. Therefore she took on both with the aggression so characteristic of her. Slit my throat but no one tells me what to do, a defiant Mamata Banerjee declared after a court order which was interpreted by many as a rap on the knuckles of her government. It all began with Mamata Banerjees government in West Bengal announcing that the immersion of Durga idols would have to be done by 6 pm on September 30. This restriction was imposed in view of the Taazia procession by Muslims during Muharram. The other alternative was to postpone the immersion by a day till Muharram was over. Some devotees immerse the idols on the day after Dashami.But the government said the next day was reserved for Taaziaprocession. The West Bengal government cited law and order as the reason to keep the two rituals apart on grounds that things could get out of hand when tens of thousands of people are on the streets for as part of the festival. The restrictions, the state said, were a preventive measure to rule out any issue that could jeopardize communal harmony. This was enough to raise the hackles of the pro Hindu elements. What followed was filing a Public Interest litigation in the Calcutta High Court on grounds that the Mamata government was trying to divide people on the basis of religion. The PIL further stated that this was like casting an aspersion on the people of the two communities; an insinuation about Hindus and Muslims being incapable of holding their back-to-back religious events peacefully . Why cant two communities celebrate together? When you are firm there is communal harmony in the state, why are you creating communal distinction between the two? Let them live in harmony. Do not create a line between them. Let them live together, the court said. It also said that the state cannot hinder a citizens right to practice religion on the basis of a mere assumption. Seeking concrete grounds for its decision, the Court said, If you dream that something will go wrong, you cannot impose restrictions. The administration, it said, could regulate the routes for the immersion processions to follow and those through which the processions of Muharram would pass. People have the right to practice their religious activities, whichever community they may be of, and the state cannot put restrictions, unless it has a concrete ground to believe that two communities cannot live together, the Court said. The government, while announcing the restrictions, had said that some people could create trouble along communal lines and there could be a problem if a procession is passing a puja pandal: Every religion is ours. But if there is a problem... we will all be affected, it said adding that it was prudent to take preventive measures. It also said that false news was being spread about the government trying to restrict the rituals of the puja to stoke communal passion and create a volatile situation. The finger was clearly being pointed at the BJP. A war of words has already ensued between Banerjee and her political opponents who are accusing her of minority appeasement. Muslims form 27 percent of West Bengals population and are a solid vote bank. Under the circumstances, non BJP parties are vying with each other to curry favour with the Muslims. Mamata being Chief Minister gives her an edge because pro-minority decisions could benefit her electorally. However, for record, Mamata Banerjee has said that she believes in the religion of humanity and not in appeasement. If I go to Muslim festival, people term it as appeasement. But when I go the Chhath Puja celebrations or observe Buddha Purnima, does anybody ask whom am I appeasing? When I go to the temples or be present in the midnight prayer on Christmas, does anyone raise the question of appeasement? she asked. It did not end here. A defiant Mamata said that even if a gun is held to her head, she will not discriminate: If this is appeasement, I shall continue to do so as long as I am alive she said responding to allegations of her pampering the states Muslim population at the cost of Hindus. The knives are clearly out. It is Mamata Banerjee versus the BJP and the right wing groups who, apart from allegations and counter-allegations are doing what it takes to woo their respective vote-banks particularly because elections, both local and national, are due. Banerjee did not confine the battle to state politics but also targeted the BJP led government at the Centre of hatching a conspiracy against West Bengal and alleged its bid to create unrest and disrupt peace. Clearly an issue blown out of proportion, the West Bengal Chief Minister said that to immerse the goddess on Saturday or Akadoshi, the day after Dussehra, is against the norm and therefore to raise a hue and cry about a date-shift is only an attempt to disrupt peace and harmony in the state and demean the festival. If Mamata Banerjee issued a warning against those conspiring to create unrest, the BJP charged her with adeliberate attempt to create communal divide. It declared that the Hindus of the state will not abide by such decisions.Why will Hindus be not allowed to celebrate their biggest festival? the BJP questioned, clearly stoking the fires. Spurred by politics, both warring groups have blood on their hands. While BJP President Amit Shah has his mind set on capturing West Bengal in 2019, Mamata Banerjee could well put some machinations to upstage her rivals. It is in this game, dangerous though, that religion comes in handy, as does pitching Hindus against Muslims. Durga immersions versus Taazia procession controversy is a sure recipe to incite communal passions. If Banerjee is eyeing the Muslim votes, then her rival, the BJP is consolidating its Hindu base. The panchayat polls, that are round the corner, would be a test case. Rabble rousers are working overtime and inciting youth to ferment trouble. Administratively the onus of maintaining harmony is on the state government. Irrespective of politics, it has to ensure that both the idol-immersion and Taazia procession do not ignite a communal flare-up. On this count, the decision to segregate the two and keep them on different dates is prudent and wise. Politically, the stakes are very high and elections fast becoming a matter of life and death, one cannot put it past either the BJP or its rivals to do what it takes to steal a march over the other. And if this means playing with fire, so be it. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])