No Time Restrictions For Holi, Basanta Utsab Celebrations In Bengal’s Birbhum, Police Make clear – News18
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Birbhum’s district police confirmed that no time restriction will likely be imposed on the Basanta Utsab celebration after BJP slammed state authorities over numerous restrictions imposed on celebrations.
College students of Visva Bharati College have a good time Basanta Utsab at Santiniketan in Birbhum. (Supply: PTI)
The district police of Birbhum in West Bengal on Thursday clarified that no time restriction has been imposed by them over the Basanta Utsab and Holi celebration within the district amid political row over the varied restrictions imposed on the celebrations by the Mamata Banerjee-led authorities.
The police stated that the competition will likely be celebrated the best way it has been at all times.
That is to make clear that no time restriction has been positioned by Birbhum District Police in repect of Basanta Utsab and Holi celebration. It is going to be celebrated because it has at all times been.We urge all to keep away from misinformation and rely solely on genuine sources for correct updates.— Birbhum District Police (@BirbhumPolice) March 13, 2025
“That is to make clear that no time restriction has been positioned by Birbhum District Police in repect of Basanta Utsab and Holi celebration. It is going to be celebrated because it has at all times been. We urge all to keep away from misinformation and rely solely on genuine sources for correct updates,” stated Birbhum District Police.
What Is Basanta Utsab?
In Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan in Birbhum, Holi is marked by an inventive, swish and cultural competition referred to as “Basanta Utsab”.
The competition was launched by Tagore as a cultural occasion and is well known yearly on the start day of the Bengali month of Falgun.
The Basanta Utsab was began by Tagore at Visva-Bharti College, Santiniketan for mixing schooling with custom, artwork and nature.
On this competition, folks put on yellow clothes and sing Rabindra Sangeet, carry out conventional dance and apply abir on one another.
Throughout Basanta Utsab, folks additionally bask in Bengali sweets like Patisapta, Pithe and Mishti Doi.
BJP Slams Mamata Govt For Restrictions Imposed on Basanta Utsab
This 12 months, the West Bengal authorities has banned Basanta Utsab celebrations on the fashionable Sonajhuri Haat close to Santiniketan citing environmental influence.
{The marketplace} is near the Visva Bharati College’s Santiniketan campus, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site.
That is the primary time such a restriction has been imposed on Sonajhuri Haat after public participation in Basanta Utsab in Visva Bharati College was halted in 2019.
The vacationers have additionally been advised to not report movies of the celebrations.
This 12 months additionally, Visva Bharati College is not going to open its campus to the general public and can have non-public celebrations due to its UNESCO heritage standing.
To guard the World Heritage web site standing, the abir (colored powders) has additionally been banned within the celebrations. So, Basanta Utsab will likely be celebrated sans its common vibrant colors.
The restrictions have obtained criticism from the BJP authorities, which accused the state authorities of doing “politics of appeasement”.
West Bengal Chief of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari stated to ANI, “This has not occurred in only one space. Police conduct coordination packages on the time of the programmes of different communities. We noticed this occurring throughout CPI(M) and TMC regimes. However in 2025, for the primary time, conferences have been held at each Police Station for Holi. What was the difficulty within the assembly, it is a particular month for the opposite neighborhood and this time Holi is falling on a Friday. So, it was overtly stated that colors shouldn’t be used and Holi ought to be celebrated.
“There will likely be arrests if somebody does one thing. Birbhum Extra SP stated that by 10 am, the Holi celebrations in Santiniketan ought to be wrapped up as a result of it’s Friday…That is occurring in Bengal for the primary time…Mamata Banerjee’s Police administration is doing politics of divides, it’s doing politics of appeasement,” he stated.
Nonetheless, the district police confirmed that there will likely be no restriction on the timing of the celebrations.
- Location :
Birbhum, India, India
