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News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Indian Army Allows Eid Prayers On Kolkata's Red Road After Discussions With Organisers
Last Updated: The Indian Army decided to alter its training programme to accommodate namaz on Red Road near Fort William, which has been a long-standing venue for Eid prayers. The Indian Army has allowed permission to hold Eid-Ul-Adha prayers on Kolkata's Red Road – a traditional venue for the event – in respect for the age-old tradition after holding talks with the organisers. Red Road, located in front of its Eastern Command Headquarters at Fort William, has been the traditional venue for namaz during Eid-Ul-Zuha, drawing large crowds. Every year, the organisers coordinate with the armed forces to hold the prayer gathering at the site. Earlier, the Indian Army had denied permission for namaz on Red Road, citing 'military purpose" as the reason. A pre-scheduled Army programme was set to take place at the same time in the venue. The Army had also informed the Kolkata Police and the Calcutta Khilafat Committee of its decision. However, after discussions between the Army and the organisers, they decided to allow the namaz to proceed, respecting the age-old tradition. Army authorities decided to alter their training schedule to accommodate the Eid prayers. West Bengal Minister Javed Ahmed Khan confirmed that things were being sorted out through consultations between the organisers and the defence authorities over issues pertaining to the Army's own engagements. The Calcutta Khilafat Committee had applied to the Army on May 10, seeking permission to hold the Namaz from the Netaji Statue to the outer entrance of Fort William's East Gate on Red Road. Eid ul-Adha, or the 'Feast of Sacrifice," is the Islamic holiday that begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj. This year, the festival is likely to be celebrated in India on June 7. First Published: June 02, 2025, 23:47 IST
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Eid prayers at Kolkata's Red Road saw a flip-flop-flip
Kolkata's Indira Gandhi Sarani, formerly Red Road, which has seen grand parades and even fighter jets taking off during World War II, witnessed a flip-flop over its use for the upcoming Eid al-Adha prayers later this week. The Army, which had initially denied permission for the road owned by the Ministry of Defence, citing "military use", has now adjusted its schedule to allow the decades-old Eid namaaz tradition at the Red Calcutta Khilafat Committee, which organises the annual Eid al-Adha prayers on Kolkata's Red Road, applied for permission on May 10, as it had done proposed prayer site stretches from the Netaji Statue to the entrance of Fort William, the Eastern Command Headquarters. On May 31, however, a Colonel-rank officer from the Headquarters Bengal Sub-Area informed the committee that permission for the congregational prayers on June 7 or 8, 2025, was denied due to the area being required for "military purposes", reported the Deccan Chronicle, carrying a scanned copy of a May 31 letter from the REVERSES DECISION; TO ACCOMMODATE EID PRAYERSHowever, a couple of days later, the Army has decided to alter its training schedule a bit to accommodate Eid al-Adha prayers at Red Road later this week, news agency PTI reported on Monday, citing Bengal minister Javed Ahmed Khan, also part of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee, said that while there were issues over Army permissions due to pre-scheduled military engagements, the matter was being resolved through ongoing discussions between the organisers and Defence Army, considering the decades-old tradition of Eid prayers being held at the Red Road, decided to tweak its planned training schedule to accommodate the Eid prayers, sources told PTI.A CENTURY-OLD EID NAMAAZ TRADITION: HIGH COURTThe Eid congregation began at Red Road in 1919 after Shahid Minar got waterlogged, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court noted in April 2025 while hearing a petition seeking the recital of Hanuman Chalisa on the iconic road, according a report in The Times of congregations in 2020 and 2021 were not held at Kolkata's Red Road because of Covid-induced a two-year break, Eid prayers at the Red Road resumed in 2022. Despite heavy rain, thousands gathered for the morning namaaz, joined by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who called for unity and resilience.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
No Eid Prayer On Kolkata's Red Road This Year, Army Says Venue Needed For 'Military Purpose'
Last Updated: TMC Minister Javed Ahmed Khan, who is also a member of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee, confirmed that his organisation received a letter from the Army. The Indian Army denied permission to hold Eid-Ul-Zuha Namaz on Red Road—a traditional venue for the event—located in front of its Eastern Command Headquarters at Fort William, citing 'military purpose" as the reason. The Army has also informed the Kolkata Police and the Calcutta Khilafat Committee—the organisers of the annual Muslim congregation that draws large crowds—about its decision. 'The permission for conduct of congregational prayer for 'Eid-Uz-Zoha" in general area Red Road on 07th or 08th June 2025 is not granted as the area is required for military purpose," said a Colonel-rank Army officer in charge of land under the Headquarters Bengal Sub Area in a letter addressed to the Calcutta Khilafat Committee. Like previous years, the Calcutta Khilafat Committee had applied to the Army on May 10, seeking permission to hold the Namaz from the Netaji Statue to the outer entrance of Fort William's East Gate on Red Road. The forum received a response from the Army on Saturday. Javed Ahmed Khan, the Minister for State Disaster Management, who is also a member of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee, confirmed that his organisation received a letter from the Army. 'We have received the letter. A meeting has been called at our office on Zakaria Street in the afternoon. The members will discuss and take a decision on the matter," he said. First Published: June 01, 2025, 19:27 IST
