Saturday, 8 March 2014

Hindus in Kaliachak, Malda deflect bids to stop Surya Puja

On January 19, 2014, Nayagram Field within the jurisdiction of the police station of Kaliachak in the district of Malda, remained witness to an untoward development as Surya Puja (worship of Sun God) and the fair, organized by Hindus in the neighborhood as part of the veneration, there were dismantled by a large group of rowdy Muslim youths. The Puja as well as the fair has been going on for 40 years at a stretch. The problem started at 4 pm when the said pack of roughnecks living in Khottapara in nearby Baishnabnagar interrupted and harassed Hindu girls sleazily. It has also been learnt, at 4pm, while food-offering to the Holy Deity was being distributed among Hindu devotees, pebbles were hurled by the gang led by Rahul Sheikh, Sentarul Sheikh, Zakir Sheikh and Pintu Sheikh. Their sole intention was to stop the Puja, fair and also infuse fright among Hindus so that they would not dare to persist the Hindu ritual any longer.
Local Hindu youths with members of the fair’s organizing committee organized a stiff resistance to the vandalism resulting in a wild confrontation between the two groups. Four youths including Jayanta Rabidas, Toton Ghosh, Biplab Mandal and Chandan Ghosh suffered heavy injuries.

No comments: