The Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal on Monday directed police to ensure that loudspeaker sound does not travel beyond religious precincts and that prayer congregations do not block roads or cause inconvenience to the public, except on special occasions.
Key Directives to Police
These were among the dozen instructions issued to senior police officers, which also included zero tolerance for illegal coal and sand mining, cattle smuggling, and crimes against women.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari communicated these decisions to IPS officers during his first meeting with them after being sworn in as Bengal's ninth Chief Minister. The meeting at Nabanna was attended by Director General of Police S N Gupta, Additional Director General (Law and Order) Ajay Ranade, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand. An officer present said Adhikari asked the officers to apply the law universally.
Reactions from Religious Leaders
Religious leaders said they would abide by the law if the steps on loudspeakers and roadblocks were implemented. Nasser Ebrahim, trustee of Nakhoda Mosque, stated, "If such a measure is taken, as law-abiding citizens, we welcome the government decision that no religious function should block roads. The law of the land must apply equally to every community, without discrimination or selective enforcement. We are committed to following all lawful regulations and expect the same standard to be upheld uniformly."
Jayanta Kushary, principal of Sarba Bhartiya Prachya Academy, added, "This is how it should be in a civil society. Praying is fundamentally a personal and spiritual matter, and as far as I know, no scripture of any religion mandates the use of loudspeakers in the name of faith. Religions must coexist with civic responsibility, public convenience, and respect for the rights of others."
Law and Order Roadmap
At the very onset of the meeting, Adhikari gave instructions on laying out the future law and order roadmap. "The Chief Minister emphasized the recovery of illegal weapons. He told us to ensure arrests are made by filing FIRs for post-election violence, hooliganism, and extortion," said an officer. The Chief Minister directed strict action, including non-bailable cases, against those inciting communal violence.
The BJP, which made illegal trading of coal, sand, and stone a poll plank, told police to ensure zero tolerance towards it.
Focus on Women's Security
Adhikari placed significant emphasis on the security of women. "We were told that rape, attempted rape, and molestation cases would be reopened. This will mainly include all the post-poll cases after 2021 and 2024. We were also told to end cattle smuggling," said an officer. Now, over 1,300 post-poll cases are under scrutiny. The Chief Minister stated that reopening complaints of 2021 post-poll violence, which were recorded as General Diary entries, was a must wherever required. Reiterating that syndicate raj, extortion, cattle smuggling, and coal mining would not be tolerated, the Chief Minister reportedly said that transport of cattle aged over 14 years would be regulated by a veterinary officer. Illegal slaughterhouses would not be allowed, police were told.
Road Safety and Other Measures
Adhikari emphasized road safety. "The Chief Minister has called for enforcement of helmet regulations," said an officer, adding that he told police to minimize public inconvenience during his movement and avoid unnecessary use of hooters. Collection of illegal toll tax on roads would not be tolerated, he told police. Following an earlier Election Commission decision, the Chief Minister said all security must be withdrawn from those with criminal history.
