Thu Nov 07 01:51:00 UTC 2024: ## West Bengal Governor and High Court Seek Probe into Durga Puja Violence Allegations
**KOLKATA, INDIA -** The Governor of West Bengal, C.V. Ananda Bose, and the Calcutta High Court have both requested reports from the state government regarding alleged vandalism and violence during the recent Durga Puja and Kali Puja festivals.
The Governor’s office received complaints from opposition leaders and others about the law and order situation in certain areas during the festivities. Consequently, the Governor has asked for a response from the state government and instructed authorities to take preventative measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Simultaneously, the Calcutta High Court, responding to a plea from the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has also demanded a report on allegations of violence during the festivals. While Adhikari’s legal team claimed that acts of vandalism occurred, the State Advocate General, Kishore Datta, refuted allegations of any communal clashes.
The Kolkata Police also issued a statement on social media dismissing reports of an attack on an immersion procession in Narkeldanga as an attempt to create a “fake narrative” and labeling reports of vandalism at a puja mandap in West Port as “misleading and unsubstantiated.”
However, the High Court bench, consisting of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hirnamoy Bhattacharya, expressed surprise at the lack of news coverage regarding alleged mob violence during the pujas. The petitioners’ counsel countered by highlighting the arrests of two journalists who had reported on communal clashes.
The Advocate General questioned the petition’s purpose, suggesting it was motivated by political gain. While acknowledging the frequency of petitions filed by the Leader of Opposition, the Chief Justice emphasized that even opposition leaders have a responsibility to bring legitimate concerns to the court.
The High Court will revisit the petition on November 21st.
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