PIL filed in Calcutta HC demanding steps against objection of 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans

Kolkata: A PIL has been filed by an advocate in the Calcutta High Court demanding necessary steps to be taken against those who are objecting to 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans.

Advocate Partha Ghosh said chanting of 'Jai Shri Ram' is the fundamental right of an individual.

The petition is likely to be heard by the high court on Friday.

The furore over 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan started after West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee lost her cool when a group of men chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' as her convoy was passing through Bhatpara area in North 24 Parganas district on May 30.

"These are all outsiders and the BJP people. They are criminals and were abusing me. They are not from Bengal. We will take action against them," she had said after getting down from her car.

The Chief Minister had criticised the BJP and said that its leaders are using 'Jai Shri Ram' as their party slogan in a "misconceived manner" and accused them of mixing religion with politics.

Several leaders including BJP president Amit Shah had challenged Mamata to stop them from chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan during election campaigning. Shah also asked people to chant the slogan during a programme in Gujarat's Ahmadabad after the election results.

On May 16, Prime Minister said, "Didi has created such a situation in West Bengal that infiltrators are having a free run while the devotees of Kali and Ram are forced to live in fear. Youths are being jailed just for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Maa Kali’."

The political temperature in West Bengal continues to be high ever since the BJP made deep inroads in the state after winning 18 Lok Sabha seats and limiting the TMC to 22 seats in the recently concluded elections.