Police accused of trying to stop Op Sindoor show in puja pandal organised by BJP leader

Kolkata, Sep 27 (PTI) The organisers of a Durga Puja in Kolkata, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Saturday charged the police with trying to stop their light and sound show on Operation Sindoor on the pretext of threat to public safety.

Secretary of Santosh Mitra Square Puja and BJP leader, Sajal Ghosh, also threatened to close down the pandal and immerse the idol prematurely if the “pressure tactics” do not stop.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma denied the charges, asserting that the police are only concerned with public safety as a large crowd has been gathering in a narrow space.

Ghosh, a councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, claimed in a press meet at the puja pandal ground that there have been sustained efforts by Kolkata Police to stop the light and sound show on Operation Sindoor, which is just three to four minutes long.

The show featured the Pahalgam massacre by terrorists, the address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the counterattack by India smashing terror bases in Pakistan, he said.

"There have been numerous light and sound shows in pujas across the city and elsewhere in the state in the past and even during this festival. There have been large crowd turnouts in many other puja pandals, either associated with ruling party leaders or others. But nowhere did the police cite such strictures in this way,” the BJP leader said.

Actually, the police narrowed down the pathway using barricades, making people walk more than 2 km to visit the puja, while it should not be more than 700 metres from any nearby entry points, Ghosh claimed.

In the given circumstances, he said, if the organisers are not allowed to run the show even after adhering to safety protocols, they will switch off the lights, put black clothes on the face of the goddess and, after consulting priests, even immerse the idol before Bijoya Dashami.

"It is not just non-cooperation, it is a conspiracy. Even patriotic shows are not allowed in the TMC regime,” he alleged.

The BJP councillor claimed that a puja on the theme of Operation Sindoor was stalled in Sagar islands in South 24 Parganas district.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma denied the charges.

"As a large crowd gathers in the area in a limited space, our concern remains to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. If we make people walk a longer distance, it is for the visitors to enter and leave the pandal safely,” Verma said.

He said that the police follow certain safety guidelines for every puja organiser, big or small.

The puja, located near the Sealdah railway station and known for topical themes, has been a crowd puller for several years.

Organisers of another big-ticket puja at Deshapriyo Park had to close down their pandal after certain strictures by police on the crowd safety issue. It reopened on Saturday following certain guidelines.

A few years ago, the same Deshapriyo Park puja, patronised by TMC leaders, had been closed down as it had installed a giant Durga idol violating norms.

The Sribhumi Sporting Club Puja, associated with TMC heavyweight and minister Sujit Bose, had to switch off a laser show after the police raised objections over safety issue and causing threat to aircraft. PTI SUS NN