The authorities of a state-run auditorium – Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata – have cancelled the booking for an event in which RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was to speak, organisers of the event alleged on Tuesday.
The Sister Nivedita Mission Trust had booked the auditorium for October 3 for an event on Sister Nivedita’s role in India’s nationalist movement. West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was also an invitee.
General Secretary of the Trust, Rantideb Sengupta, said the auditorium authorities cancelled the booking last Thursday despite completion of all formalities on their part.
“We had booked the auditorium in July after paying Rs 14,350. We also paid another Rs 1,150 as October 3 is a holiday. We even intimated Joint CP Headquarters of Kolkata Police about our event. Suddenly, on August 31, authorities of Mahajati Sadan told us that the booking was cancelled. They told us to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Kolkata Police. While we were about to obtain the NOC from police, the authorities on September 1 informed us that the auditorium was unavailable as it would be under maintenance in the first week of October,” said Sengupta.
Authorities of Mahajati Sadan were unavailable for comments. The organiser of the event, however, said the event will now be held at a different venue and on the same day. “We are looking for an alternative venue to hold the event,” Sengupta added.
Jishnu Basu, RSS karyavaha (secretary) for the southern part of Bengal, said it was unfortunate that the booking for a scheduled event was cancelled. “It seems the state is being run by fundamentalists. Permission was denied for a Mohan Bhagwat event in the city earlier as well. It has happened again. The state government has also turned Durga Puja into a carnival and Hindus are not allowed to observe it according to their customs. It is very unfortunate,”
In January this year, Kolkata Police had denied permission for Bhagwat’s rally in the city but the high court had overruled the decision.
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It reflects lack of tolerance and understandings, Mumta must understand .
This is the shape of things to come here in the UK where some local community centres are taken over by Muslims, e.g. a library in Chadwell Heath is partially used as a Mosque -nothing against it however why aloow such skewed arrangement in a secular country in the first place? Hindus never ask for such facility
I also noted a church hall would not allow alcohol , upon enquiring your guess is as good as mine as to who was in charge. Mamta Banerjee is afraid of Mr Bhagwat and I am sure she will give red carpet welcome to Naik This woman should be disbarred from politics