Thu Mar 13 09:45:39 UTC 2025: ## Holi Restrictions at Shantiniketan Fair Spark Political Row in West Bengal
**Shantiniketan, West Bengal:** A poster prohibiting color celebrations at the Sonajhuri Haat artisan fair in Shantiniketan has ignited a fierce political debate in West Bengal, just ahead of the Holi festival. The poster, which also bans car parking, videography, and drone usage within the reserved forest area, has been interpreted by the opposition BJP as a ban on Holi celebrations, a charge vehemently denied by the ruling Trinamool Congress government.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the Mamata Banerjee government of appeasing a particular community by allegedly restricting Holi festivities, citing instances of police imposing time limits on Basanta Utsav celebrations in Shantiniketan and issuing warnings against Holi celebrations in other areas. He claims these actions are part of a broader pattern of religious appeasement.
However, State Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda refuted these claims, stating that the poster at Sonajhuri Haat was merely a request to preserve the environment, not a ban on Holi celebrations. She has initiated an inquiry into the matter and requested a report from the District Forest Officer. The minister accused the BJP of attempting to exploit the situation for political gain.
The controversy surrounds the timing of Holi, coinciding with Ramzan, and its fall on a Friday this year. The clash between religious observances and the traditional Basanta Utsav celebrations, started by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the 1920s, has heightened tensions. The incident highlights the sensitive political climate in West Bengal as elections approach.
First Piper 