SC to hear plea challenging Bengal govt’s decision to grant funds for Durga Puja celebrations

Lawyer Saurabh Dutta, who had filed an appeal against the high court’s decision, told the bench that the decision of the state government was against the established principle of law and sought an urgent hearing on his plea.

In his plea, the petitioner had challenged the government’s decision to disburse funds to the tune of Rs 28 crore, claiming it was a dole to puja committees and had no public purpose. He also claimed that providing funds to puja committees is a violation of the secular structure of the Constitution.

On September 10, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had declared that Rs 10,000 would be given to each of the 28,000 puja committees across the state —3,000 in the city and 25,000 in the districts, costing the government an amount of Rs 28 crore.