Controversy erupted in Bengal’s Howrah area after BJP supporters organised a programme of chanting Hanuman Chalisa on Tuesday and police had to intervene to disperse the crowd.
According to sources, the supporters had gathered in front of Howrah’s AC market on Dobson Road to chant Hanuman Chalisa. After some time, cops from Howrah City Police station arrived and tried to disperse the workers from the spot as they were blocking the road and had no permission.
Police told iebangla that the event by BJP workers blocking the road was a hindrance to the movement of traffic. Hence, they requested the workers to move aside. However, the BJP supporters refused to give in and police had to intervene.
BJP leader Ishrat Jahan, who was present on the spot during the clash, told iebangla, “Chanting Hanuman Chalisa is a religious affair. It wouldn’t have been much of a problem to allow that for ten minutes. It was unfair on the part of police to treat common people and the BJP workers this way. They have forcefully stopped us from chanting.” Read in Bangla
The BJP youth wing workers have been chanting Hanuman Chalisa at the Hanuman Mandir on Dobson Road for past two weeks. The police had barricaded a space for the devotees to pray.