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The bench of Justice Kausik Chanda of Calcutta High Court has refused to grant any interim relief on a plea which alleged that displaying of shoes on pandal shows "utter disrespect" to Durga Maa. The theme of the pandal was the Farmers' Protest.

The plea had been filed by Santanu Singha, who alleged that by displaying shoes in the Puja pandal at Dum Dum Park, Bharat Chakra Club, utter disrespect had been shown to Goddess Durga. Singha, who is an advocate, contended that even though he has not himself gone to the pandal but he had come across some photos of it on social media. He alleged that, “it is an insult to Hindus, since we never wear shoes inside temples.”

The Puja committee on the other hand contended that the display of shoes was in consonance with the theme of the pandal, that was the recent farmers' protest and argued that the shoes were in display at least 70 feet away from the idol and there were no shoes in the sanctum sanctorium of the pandal.

Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra’s Puja pandal had posters showcasing the farmers’ protest including those depicting recent killings of four peasants allegedly by the son of BJP leader and junior Union home minister Ajay Mishra Teni at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. 

For the showcasing of shoes, the puja organisers had earlier received legal notices for hurting religious sentiments, however, the Committee decided not to change the pandal.

Pratik Chowdhury, a member of the Committee had said in this regard:

“Dhaan deybo na, maan deybo na (Won’t give our crops, won’t give our pride) — was their way to pay tributes to all farmers’ movements that had taken place in India.

“The theme depicts the peasant protests of Tebhaga and Telengana, along with others. However, it would have been incomplete if the story of the ongoing farmers’ protest was not depicted.”

Further, the Committee alleged that this was false propaganda by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had allegedly "left the party visibly embarrassed."

The Committee said that "as the party did not want to be seen ruffling feathers of the farmers, it has hence tried calling out the authorities of Bharat Chakra for 'insulting the sentiments of Hindus.'"

Artist Anirban Das, who conceptualised the theme, told news agency PTI that the names of farmers who died in the course of the agitation had been written in chits of paper on the giant tractor, and that Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata have always "taken on social issues and current affairs, as basis for themes."

The court was of the view that at the instant ad-interim stage, it was not inclined to pass any order on the application for removal of the shoes, since any order would led to final relief. The court thus directed the Lake Town Police Station to file its report on the next date of hearing with regard to the progress of the investigation.

The matter is next set to be heard on October 25.

Cause Title: Santanu Singha Vs. State of West Bengal & Ors.