The local administration and the committees for celebration of Muharram came to a state of confrontation on the matter of display of weapons during procession.
During the last few years, the administration has been pleading with the members of both Hindu and Muslim communities not to display weapons during religious processions like Hanuman Jayanti or Muharram.
But Muharram committees are not willing to stick to the decision of the administration. During the Hanuman Jayanti procession, the administration gave similar instructions to the respective committees of different ‘Padas’ (cluster) of the town to adhere to the rule and they had obliged. In a preparatory meeting for the Muharram procession here, different Muharram committees made it clear that they would not go for the procession without display of weapons.
Reports said this has put the administration here in a tight spot as it apprehends that the Hindus may react against it. During the Hanuman Jayanti procession, the committees earlier had obeyed the instruction of the administration not to flaunt weapons. “We are watching the role of the administration,” said Pradeep Kumar Bahidar, a frontline leader of Hanuman Jayanti committee and Bajarang Dal.
Different Muharram committees headed by Mahammad Nawab of Pensionpara, Mahammad Sabir Husain of Bhutapara, Mahammad Amin of Badabazar, Sk Sekhawatulla of Motijharan, Hassan Khan of Daleipara, Mahammad Manglu of Kumbharpada and lalmohan Padhiary of Mudipara have taken joint decision to boycott procession if they would not be allowed to display weapons. “Displaying the weapons is part of the tradition of Muharram procession. Hence, any restriction on it will hurt our sentiment,” they stated in a release.