'Azaan' controversy in Kolkata's Durga Puja pandal; Complaint against organisers

Kolkata: A Durga Puja Pandal committee in Kolkata's Beliaghata 33 Pally has landed in hot water for playing Azaan in line to promote communal harmony.

A city-based lawyer, Santanu Singha, filed a police complaint in Phool Bagan Police Station accusing 10 people of "disturbing the peace and tranquillity in the State of West Bengal."

The complaint copy, which is in access of Newsmeter, named Paresh Paul, Arup Kumar Sinha, Parimal De, Sushanta Saha, Kaushik Ghosh, Tapas Paul, Palash Dey, Maheshwar Das, Biswajit Chanda and Gautam Das of Beliaghata 33 Pally Adhi Basi Brindo Durga Puja Committee as the accused.

Singha in his complaint stated that the video was "forwarded to him by Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The said video categorically shows the Azaan being played at a Durga Puja Pandal and as such, it hit the sentiments of the Hindu religion and is against the rules of society."

"The accused persons hatched a conspiracy against the Hindu religion to degrade them in society as well as injuring the place of worship with the intent to insult the faith and belief of Hindus and further caused malicious acts intended to outrage religious Hindu feelings by insulting their dharma or religious belief," the complaint copy further reads.

However, on the other hand, organisers have rubbished the claims and have defended their 'Pandal theme.'

The organisers claimed that they wanted to portray the "unity of all religions" and that why they have used many symbols of the church along with those of a mosque apart from OM.

Meanwhile, the initiative by the organisers has drawn mixed reactions on social media. Here are some of the tweets:

"BJP, bajrang dal, VHP, Sangh parivar loves it when Nusrat Jahan dances to dhak beats in the pujo Pandal....and hates it when azaan, church bells play in a pujo Pandal. #hypocrisy #DurgaPuja2019" says @saileenas

@sumitmukherjee said"#DurgaPujaAzaanRow utter nonsense to play Azaan at Durga puja pandal, Muslim can visit is fine but not playing azan, then y not keep the idol inside a mosque and allow Hindus to visit and offer prayers dese are extra intelligent ppl stupids. Kolkata becoming nonsense, unfortunately"

"In his complaint, Singha has claimed that a video of azaan being played at the Beliaghata Durga Puja pandal was forwarded to him by members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)." Anyone can understand who is behind this!" stated @DrShabbirAhmed4

Azaan being played in Durga Puja Pandal ! Are the organisers desperate to prove their "secularism" to someone in particular? Shame on Beliaghata 33 Pally. @rishibagree @MrsGandhi @TajinderBagga @ShefVaidya @tathagata2 pic.twitter.com/lmzpjrcCAb

— Keya Ghosh (@keyakahe) October 3, 2019