West Bengal: After ‘Halal prasad’ for Jagannath temple, Mamata’s police stop 629-year-old ‘Rath Mela’ in Muslim-dominated Malda
In a major setback for Hindus living in Jalalpur town in Kaliachak I CD block in Malda district of West Bengal, the police have refused to grant permission for the ‘Rath Mela’ (chariot fair) that has been organised for the past 629 years.
The West Bengal police, which work under the directives of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, turned down permission for the ancient Hindu festival citing ‘law and order’ issues.
The ‘Rath Mela’ is organised each year, adjacent to the Sri Mahaprabhu Mandir, for about a week’s time. It is preceded by a ‘Rath Yatra’. While the police granted permission for the ‘Rath Yatra’, the same was not extended for the Mela which is a part of the festivities.
The cops alleged that Jalalpur has been witnessing a rise in anti-social activities including murder during ‘Rath Yatra’ and as such denied permission for the chariot fair.
The vicious attempt to smear the 629-year-old fair has left the organisers shocked. They pointed out that the fair is essential to the economy of the area and hosts people irrespective of caste and religion.
Forced by circumstances, the organisers have decided to approach the District Magistrate (DM), followed by the court.
The Secretary of ‘Rath Yatra’ Committee, Gautam Mandal, informed, “The Rath Mela is being organised even before Babur and other Mughals set foot on this soil. It is 629 years old. This ancient chariot fair is being stopped for a special vote bank”
The State General Secretary of TMC, Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury, has attempted to justify and rationalise the decision of the local police.
Local BJP leader Ajay Ganguly pointed out that the denial of permission for the ‘Rath Mela’ proved that the police were working in the interests of the TMC government.
‘Halal’ sweet shops, owned by Muslims to supply prasad for Jagannath temple in Digha
Since its inauguration in April this year, the replica of the Odisha’s Jagannath temple constructed by Mamata government in Digha, West Bengal, has consistently been at the centre of controversies, with the latest one involving the temple prasad.
The BJP has accused the West Bengal government of entrusting the task of preparing the prasad of the temple to Muslim-owned shops. BJP IT Cell Head, Amit Malviya slammed the Mamata government on Tuesday (17th June) saying that the government was “trampling on Hindu sentiments with impunity in West Bengal”. Malviya shared a document on X showing a list of names of shops that he claimed were owned by Muslims.
Malviya said that these shops owned by Muslims were involved in preparing Gaja and Pera, sweets being distributed as prasad from the Digha Jagannath temple. He pointed out while the original Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha does not allow the entry of non-Hindus, the Mamata government was violating the sanctity of the temple by distributing prasad prepared by Muslims.
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