Situation was tense outside Kolkata’s Academy of Fine Arts on Sunday afternoon as a group of hundred actors, technicians and others involved in theatre had a heated exchange with some people, asking them to shift some “stones” that were being worshipped there for the past few days.
The latter group protested this, eventually leading the theatre artists and workers place an appeal before Hastings Police station.
Panchali Kar, who is among those leading the protest said, “On June 19, a couple of stones had been placed under a tree just outside the Academy of Fine Arts. Gradually the stones were painted with ‘eyes’ and in no time, some bricks were used to create boundary around them. Some local people started saying there was god there, and these were being worshipped.”
Kar said it was very clear that an attempt was being made to set up a temple there. “We had gathered there this morning and asked the persons concerned to shift the stones elsewhere because we didn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. But there was a heated exchange.”
This prompted the group of artistes to move to Hastings police station, requesting the authorities to ensure the stones were shifted elsewhere in a “completely democratic way”. However, Kar said that officials at the police station requested the artistes to register their appeal with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. “Since this involves ‘shifting’ of the so-called shrine, the KMC would be the authorities concerned, we were told,” Kar said.
The protesters will decide their next course of action on Monday. Those who are opposing the shifting of the “place of worship” could not be contacted.
