AAP's Bharadwaj slams Delhi Govt over water for Visarjan at CR Park

AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj slammed the Delhi Govt for not providing water for Visarjan at a CR Park Durga Puja. He also alleged police harassment of organisers, including cutting pandal hours and electricity, calling the government's actions "shameless".

Water for Visarjan Denied, Alleges AAP Leader

Amid Durga Puja celebrations in Chittaranjan Park (CR Park), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday accused the Delhi Government of not providing necessary water arrangements for the traditional Visarjan (idol immersion) ceremony at a Durga Puja Pandal. In an X post, the AAP leader described the situation at one of the capital's largest Durga Puja venues as "unbelievable", stating, "Can u believe that CR Park Bengalis at biggest Durga Puja Pandal could not do Visarjan because Delhi Govt has not provided them water. After using Police to stop Durga Puja at CR Park, this is another cheapness of shameless Govt."

Previous Clashes Over Pandal Timings and Police Conduct

This latest allegation follows Bharadwaj's string of statements on the CR Park management and police conduct. Earlier on October 19, he warned that reducing the operating hours of Durga Puja pandals in CR Park could lead to overcrowding and increase the risk of stampedes, urging the Delhi Police to allow organisers to conduct the festivities peacefully, while alleging that the authorities could hold Puja committees responsible in the event of an accident.

In a video attached to the post, Bhardwaj accused the Delhi Police of troubling the Puja organisers, noting that previously the pandals were allowed to stay open until 12:00 AM, but this year the authorities have mandated the closure of the pandals by 10:00 PM. "Most people come in the evening because the weather in Delhi is pleasant at that time, and people get free from their jobs and businesses in the evening. Now, for the past two or three days, the Delhi Police has been troubling the organisers of these Durga Puja pandals. They are saying that this time, you are only allowed to keep the loudspeakers and pandals open until 10:00 PM at night. The pandals that used to stay open until 12:00 AM last year, you have cut down the evening window by two hours," he said.

Police Cite Noise Pollution Rules

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South Delhi, rejected allegations that the police were obstructing the festivities, stating that the intervention was aimed at enforcing court-mandated noise pollution rules.

Bharadwaj had also accused Delhi Police of harassing the Bengali community and Durga Puja committees in Chittaranjan (CR) Park, alleging that police personnel cut electricity connections at a pandal. In a post on X tagged to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Bharadwaj alleged that police officers were harassing the community "like never before". Bharadwaj alleged differing treatment, saying the Delhi government speaks of allowing 24x7 businesses and shops, and that most Ram Leelas are permitted to continue past midnight. He claimed that on Saturday, police constables "barged into the B Block Durga Puja pandal and forcibly cut the electrical connections, damaging their equipment". (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)