Bengal Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday moved the Calcutta High Court demanding deployment of central forces and seeking a direction against the "rally for harmony" announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on January 22 the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ram Temple Ayodhya.
Apprehending communal disturbance if the harmony march was allowed to be organized on January 22, Adhikari sought postponement of the rally. The Court of Justice Harish Tandon has admitted the petition.
"It is alarming that Mamata Banerjee has asked her party cadres to descend on the streets to stage a so-called rally for harmony … this has been done by her to win back the confidence of the fast alienating Muslim voters … now in the name of ensuring peace she wants her party to fan communal disturbance so that she can emerge as the savior of the minorities and win back their confidence … this is a big conspiracy being hatched by her … this is alarming not only for the administration or police but also for the people of Bengal in general," Adhikari said.
"The lives and properties of the people of Bengal is in great danger … and the TMC is planning to fan a communal disturbance which is why the Chief Minister has decided not only to confine the rally to Kolkata but carry it out in the districts and at block levels … we will have to stop it at all cost," Adhikari said.
The BJP leader also demanded deployment of central forces in Bengal on January 22 saying he feared that "mischievous elements may create communal trouble --- which is why in the harmony rally is being organized --- to polarize the votes ahead of the elections."
His petition in the High Court comes in tandem with two letters written by his brother and MP Dibyendu Adhikari to Home Minister Amit Shah and Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose to take appropriate action so that peace can be ensured. "The people must be protected against any kind of violence which some people may want to get votes so I have written to the Home Minister and Governor seeking their attention," the junior Adhikari who though being elected on a TMC ticket has subsequently shifted to the BJP wrote.
The Chief Minister had in an indirect reference to the Prime Minister o Tuesday said that the consecration of deities and inauguration of temples should be left on the priests adding she and her party would organise a "rally for harmony" on January 22.
Though she said that she had nothing against any religion and that the "rally" and "nothing to do with any other event organized anywhere," Banerjee iterated, "the 'Harmony Rally' is not a counter to any other event. I have great respect for the monks and saints. I always listen to them. We are organising the rally to spread the message of unity of all religions, since the next day is the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose."