Calcutta High Court refuses to accept PIL on tableau rejection

The petitioner and high court advocate Ramaprasad had filed the case on Thursday but the bench had decided to hear the matter in detail on Monday

Calcutta High Court: File photo

Tapas Ghosh   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |    25.01.22  : Calcutta High Court on Monday declined to accept the public interest litigation (PIL) challenging validity of the Union home ministry’s decision to cancel a tableau from Bengal depicting the heritage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

Disposing of the case without issuing any order, senior judge of a division bench and Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava said: “Only two days are left for the parade in Delhi. At this stage the court should not interfere in the issue. The petitioner should have filed the case earlier.”

The petitioner and high court advocate Ramaprasad had filed the case on Thursday but the bench had decided to hear the matter in detail on Monday.

While moving his plea, the petitioner accused the Union government of discriminating against Bengal.

“Netaji is a sentimental issue for the people. By this act, the Centre has hurt the people of Bengal and elsewhere in India. The court should interfere in the matter and give a stay on the Union home ministry's decision,” advocate Sarkar told the court.

The lawyer appearing for the state did not take part in the argument and said: “The court can pass any order. We will not object it.”

Rejection of Bengal's tableau on Netaji has created a major controversy with most political parties slamming the Centre’s decision.

Sharpening her attack on the BJP, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that the Narendra Modi government, with the promise to install a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate, cannot absolve itself of the injustice done to Bengal by rejecting its Republic Day tableau.

Left Front leader Biman Bose had echoed Mamata when he said last week that the Centre by rejecting the Bengal’s Netaji tableau was trying to deny the country’s legacy of anti-imperialist struggle.

While demanding that Bengal’s tableau on Netaji should be granted permission to take part in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, Bose had said that the Centre’s decision went against the country’s federal spirit.

Anita Bose-Pfaff, daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, had also expressed her displeasure with the Centre’s decision to omit Bengal’s tableau from the Republic Day parade on January 26.