Pandal construction for Janmashtami underway at Kidderpore
The Janmashtami event, which is organised by Kidderpore Samaj Kalyan Samity, was initiated by a Muslim social worker, Md Kashim, about six decades ago but faded over the years till another group of Muslim youths revived it after Trinamool came to office in 2011, according to locals. “Since 2011, we have been organising Janmashtami here. There were around 20 members in the organising committee, and half of them were Muslims.
Singh, who counted himself as a Congress functionary and used to control Alipore zoo’s labour union as part of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (a Congress affiliate), said he believes in Vishwa Hindu Parishad ’s ideology that “religion belongs to individuals and festivals also belong to those individuals” and was critical of former CM Mamata Banerjee’s oft-repeated statement that “religion belongs to individuals but festivals belong to everyone”. Singh, who claimed to be both president and chairperson of the Janmashtami organising committee, said, “We cannot demean our traditional culture. But this year, all Muslim faces have been kept out of the committee,” said Md Alam, a Trinamool functionary and former office-bearer of the organising committee. It’s like a cleansing activity,” said an organiser overseeing the pandal construction.
People from other religions should definitely visit pandals but it is our duty to protect our religious activities. Janmashtami is a Hindu festival and it should be performed by Hindus only. We used to celebrate the event together, distribute prasad and ensure all rituals were followed. But this year, it will be exclusively conducted and managed by Hindus.
“Muslims used to control Janmashtami here till last year. On Monday, TOI found a huge saffron-and-white pandal being erected at the venue.