The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted conditional permission for the Ram Navami procession in Howrah, imposing strict regulations.
The court prohibited the carrying of metal weapons while allowing religious symbols made of PVC. Additionally, it restricted each procession to a maximum of 500 participants and mandated that organisers submit the details of all participants to the police.
The order came after two organisers — Anjani Putra Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad — moved the high court following the state government’s decision to alter traditional routes of the two processions on Ram Navami citing last year’s violence. The organisers approached the court to retain the previous route.
The two organisations have been permitted to take out the processions, with each group allowed a maximum of 500 participants. The Anjani Putra Sena procession will take place from 8.30 AM to 1 PM, commencing at Narasimha Mandir, traversing GT Road and culminating at Howrah Maidan. Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad procession will be held from 3 PM to 6 PM, starting from BE College Gate No. 1 and concluding at Ramakrishnapur Ghat.
In its order Justice Tirthankar Ghosh said all participants must carry identity cards, with both organisations required to submit the identity details of their 500 members to the de[uty commissioner of police, central division, Howrah. Additionally, no group can exceed the prescribed limit of 500 participants.
The court also directed the administration to submit a comprehensive report on the procession by Wednesday next week.
During the hearing, Justice Ghosh took a firm stance, stating, “If I stop the processions, I will stop everyone. Not just political parties.” Questioning the efficiency of law enforcement, he remarked, “The police have enough power, but there is a big difference in implementing it.”
The judge acknowledged that the intensity of violence has significantly decreased since 2022 and expressed hope for further improvements. Drawing a parallel to Durga Puja, he posed a rhetorical question asking, “If there is a problem somewhere during Durga Puja, will the festival be stopped?"
Advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee, representing the organisers, argued that the people of Howrah were facing undue pressure due to the ongoing unrest and urged the court to intervene. Justice Ghosh sought clarification on whether disturbances occurred regularly in the area, to which Chatterjee responded by holding the state accountable for maintaining law and order. He asserted, "The state can control everything if it wants. The state can also decide which political party leaders will participate in the procession."
The state's advocate general, Kishore Dutta, proposed a compromise—one group marching in the morning and the other in the afternoon while keeping the original route intact. Ultimately, the court approved this arrangement, allowing the processions to proceed under strict regulations.
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