Mamata Banerjee: No Durga idol immersion on Muharram

KOLKATA: With Muharram scheduled a day after Dussera this year, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked the people to cooperate with each other and not to fall prey to provocation leading to communal problems.
“Some quarters may try to instigate people to flare up communal tension and there are people who may try to take political advantage of this”, Banerjee said while addressing a meeting of Durga Puja committees on Wednesday evening.
She asked, “Why should we take the blame because of some people who are trying to take political advantage?,”
Banerjee directed SPs in the districts to talk to Durga Puja committees and Muharram committees regarding holding of their rallies, and said that there would not be any idol immersion on October 1, on the scheduled day of Muharram.
“We will request all puja organizers not to hold immersions after 6pm on Dashami, September 30. No immersions will be allowed on October 1. As a concession, we will allow immersions till October 4. The Red Road carnival will be held on October 3,” Mamata said on Wednesday.

The chief minister also asked the people not to pay heed to posts on social networking sites leading to communal disturbances.

“It is the latest trend. People are posting fake photos of incidents on social networking sites. People must be very cautious about this and remember that cyber crime is also a crime,” she said.

Stressing that the administration would not let anybody disturb the secular atmosphere of the state, Banerjee said that police would take action in such cases.
“Muharram is not a festival we must keep that in mind. It’s our responsibility. I have heard that some people have plans to disturb and drive people in a wrong path,” she said stressing that the puja committees should play a “bigger role” in this context.