Only people who follow Sanatan Dharma can touch Durga idols, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Vijaya Dashami at Babughat where he had gone to inspect immersion arrangements.
“The purity, tradition, scriptures and rules that have been followed for thousands of years must be adhered to. This is a religious programme. It is certainly a festival but that is secondary. Primarily, it is religious. The tradition must be preserved. I have asked the CP (commissioner of police) to note down the names and identities of those who take Maa. The names and identities must be mentioned. Only those who follow Sanatan Dharma can touch the idol,” Suvendu said.
“There is nothing communal in this,” he added, speaking during the inspection of the immersion arrangements along the Hooghly.
The chief minister did not elaborate if he meant Puja organisers who are part of the immersion party or labourers who lift the idols from trucks and navigate low tides and slippery steps and muddy slopes to steer the giant structures into the deep waters of the Hooghly.
Muslims, Christians and Sikhs have been closely associated with several Durga Pujas in Calcutta for years. Every year during the festive season, hundreds of migrant labourers travel to Calcutta’s major riverbanks for idol immersion. They coordinate directly with puja organisers when they arrive with the idols at the riverfront.
A retired public administrator said many of these migrant labourers come from the Sundarbans and some even from far-off districts. “They work for contractors. Their religion was not something that was considered important.”
Sources in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said the number of labourers assigned at each ghat depended on how busy it was. “More than 50 people are usually deployed at one ghat. But the number goes up at bigger and busier ghats,” an official said.
Twenty-seven ghats have been earmarked for idol immersions by the civic body in the Calcutta municipal area.
Arrangements
Wednesday was the first day of immersion. The traditional family pujas immersed their idols on Dashami, as did some community pujas.
Kolkata Police have drawn up an elaborate security plan for idol immersion between October 21 and 24, with special force deployment at six supervisory zones.
The six supervisory zones cover Nimtala, Gwalior, Bichali, Ratan Babu, Shobhabazar, Babughat, Baje Kadamtala and the northern immersion corridor, police sources said.
The chief minister visited Baje Kadamtala Ghat and Judges’ Ghat on Wednesday to take stock of the preparations for immersion, including the arrangements being made at the ghats.
“The arrangements have improved this year. Safety must be ensured. At the same time, the sanctity of the idol, even after immersion, must be preserved. We are ensuring it. Many had opposed the use of cranes.... We have collected information and tried to improve the system.... We have also brought in the NDRF to avert any mishap,” Suvendu said.
The administration has instructed officials not to use cranes for the specified idol-framework handling operations. Trolleys will instead be used to remove idol structures after immersion, with municipal workers assisting in the process.
Twelve senior IPS officers have been assigned to supervise immersion duty, assisted by 12 Kolkata Police personnel deployed as part of Tactical Assistance Cell (TAC) teams. A total of 192 private personnel will be additionally deployed across the designated zones, apart from Kolkata Police personnel.
Bichali Ghat will receive the highest deployment, with 38 personnel, followed by Ratan Babu and Shobhabazar ghats and the Babughat-Baje Kadamtala Ghat Complex, with 34 personnel each.
Medical teams have been stationed at every ghat alongside the NDRF, Civil Defence, river police and divers.
Pollution-control norms are in place. Flowers, garlands and other puja paraphernalia cannot be dumped into the river. DJs are not allowed at the ghats.
Opposition anger
The Opposition slammed Suvendu for his comments.
“No chief minister should make such a statement. It shows that he has no understanding of the Hindu religion as preached by Sri Chaitanya, Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda,” Beleghata MLA and Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said.
CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said: “The police, who have failed to manage Puja crowds, are now supposed to check the religion and caste of those who touch the idols? Is that the job of the police?”
“From the time an idol is made, it is shaped by thehands of many people, irrespective of their religion or caste....”
Additional reporting by Snehamoy Chakraborty
