Kolkata, Oct. 12 -- The Calcutta High Court on Monday suggested that CPI(M)'s cultural wing could set up bookstalls during Kali Puja instead of Durga Puja, after permission was denied for stalls at Naihati and Bongaon in North 24-Parganas.
The petitioners told Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya that they had been setting up the stalls at the two locations for nearly five decades.
Their counsel, Shamim Ahmed, submitted that permission was refused this year citing a "direction from higher authorities". The judge questioned whether a tradition followed for decades automatically entitled the organisers to continue setting up the stalls. He orally suggested holding them during Kali Puja, scheduled about a fortnight later.
When Ahmed sought the release of the matter from the judge's court, Justice Bhattacharyya said he would consider the request on Tuesday. CPI(M)'s cultural wings traditionally set up bookstalls near Durga Puja pandals across Bengal.
The issue has also triggered a political controversy after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari urged Puja committees not to allow the stalls if organisers used the term 'Sharodotsav', arguing that it diluted the religious character of Durga Puja.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.