Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, April 11, 2025, Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday denied immediate permission to the Hindu Seva Dal to hold a Hanuman Jayanti program on Red Road, a historically sensitive stretch in central Kolkata, citing the need for further legal examination and historical context.
The Hindu Seva Dal had approached the court after their request to conduct a religious gathering on April 12, from 5 AM to 11 AM, involving around 3,000 participants, was met with objections from the police. The organization expressed its intention to recite the Hanuman Chalisa at the venue, citing that Red Road is also used for religious gatherings by other communities, including the annual Eid prayers held there in the presence of top state officials, including the Chief Minister.
During the hearing, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh firmly stated that the court cannot permit the event at this stage and instructed that a proper affidavit must be submitted. The state has been given a deadline of six weeks to file its response, after which the petitioner will have two weeks to reply. The matter will next be heard in July.
The court questioned the basis of the demand, asking the petitioner’s counsel why this particular event should be allowed on Red Road, especially considering that it is being proposed for the first time. In response to the assertion that members of other communities have held religious events at the same location, Justice Ghosh provided a historical perspective. He noted that the Eid congregation on Red Road has roots dating back to the Khilafat Movement in 1919. Originally held at the Shaheed Minar grounds, the gathering was shifted to Red Road around 1998 or 1999 due to waterlogging issues and has since continued as a long-standing tradition for over a century.
While the petitioners argued that the army has already given its permission for the gathering, the judge maintained that the matter requires a more detailed examination within a legal and historical framework before any precedent is considered or set. The court’s stance reflects a cautious approach, emphasizing public order, administrative preparedness, and legal consistency in the use of prominent public spaces for large religious gatherings.