Calcutta High Court Denies Hanuman Jayanti Rally at Red Road
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Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has denied a request from the Hindu Sewa Dal to hold a Hanuman Jayanti rally at Red Road, Kolkata. The court provided alternative venues while affirming the decision based on historical precedence.
Key Takeaways
- Calcutta High Court rejected the rally request.
- Single-judge and division benches both denied permission.
- Alternative venues were suggested by the division bench.
- Historical precedents influenced the court's decision.
- Leader of the Opposition received permission for a different rally.
Kolkata, April 12 (NationPress) On Friday, both a single-judge bench and a division bench of the Calcutta High Court rejected the appeal from the Hindu Sewa Dal to hold a rally on Red Road in Central Kolkata on April 12, coinciding with Hanuman Jayanti.
The group had initially sought permission from Justice Tirthaknkar Ghosh at the single-judge level. During the hearing, Justice Ghosh questioned the rationale behind selecting Red Road for the rally. The petitioner's attorney argued that since permission is granted for the Eid Namaz at Red Road annually, the same should apply for the Hanuman Jayanti rally.
However, Justice Ghosh dismissed this reasoning, stating that the Eid Namaz has been conducted there for approximately 100 years, while no similar precedent exists for a Hanuman Jayanti rally at that location.
Consequently, the single-judge bench denied the request for the rally at Red Road.
The petitioner promptly appealed to the division bench comprising Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay, contesting the earlier ruling. Yet, the division bench also denied permission for the Hanuman Jayanti rally at Red Road, proposing two nearby alternative locations instead.
Interestingly, just a day before, Justice Ghosh had authorized the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, to hold a rally along a specified route in North Kolkata on the same day for Hanuman Jayanti.
Justice Ghosh imposed several conditions for this rally, which is intended to conclude at a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman.
Notably, the Leader of the Opposition sought the court's intervention after the Kolkata Police initially denied permission for his rally.
