Calcutta High Court Refuses Relief On Plea Alleging Disrespect Of Goddess Durga By Alleged Display Of Shoes In Puja Pandal

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to grant any relief on a plea filed against the alleged display of shoes in a Durga Puja Pandal in the Dum Dum area of Kolkata.

The Bench of Justice Kausik Chanda was hearing a plea filed by one Santanu Singha, who alleged that by displaying shoes in the Puja pandal (at Dum Dum Park, Bharat Chakra Club), utter disrespect had been shown to the Goddess Durga.

The petitioner, who came to know about such a display of shoes from social media, submitted before the Court that he did not visit the pandal personally. However, he did allege that the display of shoes in Puja Pandal had hurt the religious sentiment of the people of West Bengal.

On the other hand, appearing on behalf of the state and other respondents, Advocate General, S.N. Mookerjee, submitted that the shoes were displayed only in the thematic part of the relevant pandal, which had been decorated with shoes as a symbol of protest by the farmers.

He further submitted that in the sanctum sanctorum, there had been no display of any shoes and that a distance of about 11 feet had been maintained between the said thematic part of the pandal and the part where the Goddess is being worshipped.

Lastly, he apprised the Court that a case had already been registered on the basis of a complaint under Sections 153A/506/34 of the Indian Penal Code by Lake Town Police Station for the alleged display of shoes by the said club.

In view of the submission made by the Advocate General, the Court was of the view that at the instant ad-interim stage, it was not inclined to pass any order on the application for removal of the shoes, since, as per court, such an order may amount to grant of the final relief.

However, the Court directed the Lake Town Police Station to file its report on the next date of hearing with regard to the progress of the investigation in the aforesaid case and thereafter, listed the matter on 25th October, 2021 for further hearing.

Case title - Santanu Singha @ Santanu Sinha v. State of West Bengal & Ors.

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