CR Park Durga Puja Row: AAP Alleges Police Harassment, Delhi Police Cites Noise Rules

A dispute over noise restrictions at Durga Puja pandals in south Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) has triggered a political confrontation, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the BJP-led government and Delhi Police of harassing organisers and disrupting celebrations. Police have rejected the allegations, saying their intervention was aimed at enforcing court-mandated noise pollution rules.

AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that puja committees had been subjected to unfair restrictions this year, with pandals and loudspeakers reportedly allowed to operate only until 10 pm, compared with midnight last year. He appealed to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to intervene, accusing the authorities of treating the Bengali community unfairly.

Delhi Police, however, said organisers continued playing loud music beyond the permitted time despite agreeing to follow the rules during earlier meetings.

Saurabh Bhardwaj Alleges Harassment, Warns Of Crowding

In a series of posts on X, Bhardwaj accused Delhi Police of targeting the Bengali community and CR Park’s Durga Puja committees.

“Delhi Police officers are harassing the Bengali community and CR Park Durga Puja Committees like never before,” he wrote, questioning why puja organisers faced restrictions when, according to him, several Ramleela events were allowed to continue past midnight.

Bhardwaj, a former MLA from Greater Kailash, the constituency that includes CR Park, also alleged that police personnel entered the B Block Durga Puja pandal without permission and disconnected its electricity, damaging equipment.

He argued that reducing the time available for celebrations could concentrate visitors into a shorter period and create crowd-management problems. Drawing a comparison with the deadly stampede at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal, he accused the government of failing to learn from the tragedy.

“Every year, lakhs of Bengalis and non-Bengalis visit CR Park puja pandals for Durga Puja. It’s an annual ritual, with most visiting in the evenings,” Bhardwaj said.

He claimed that reducing the permitted window from midnight to 10 pm could lead to a surge in visitors during the remaining hours. He also alleged that puja committees could be held responsible for any resulting disorder.

Delhi Police Says Organisers Violated Noise Rules

Delhi Police rejected Bhardwaj’s allegations, maintaining that its intervention was limited to enforcing noise pollution regulations.

In a post on X, the official account of the South Delhi deputy commissioner of police said: “Recent claims regarding the CR Park Durga Puja pandal are incorrect. Police intervention is only to ensure court rules on noise pollution. The organisers kept playing loud music past the permitted time, despite agreeing to the rules in earlier meetings.”

Bhardwaj challenged the police account, questioning whether organisers had been clearly informed of the applicable deadline and why action was allegedly taken before the permitted cut-off.

He also asked whether the police had disconnected the pandal’s electricity and challenged the authorities to clarify whether the deadline was 10 pm or midnight.

The AAP leader further questioned why Ramleela events were allegedly allowed to continue beyond midnight while Durga Puja committees faced restrictions. He criticised the deployment of police personnel at the pandal, describing the action as an attempt to intimidate organisers.

The dispute has placed the enforcement of noise pollution rules and the management of large religious gatherings at the centre of a political row. While AAP has alleged discriminatory treatment and raised concerns about crowding, Delhi Police has maintained that its actions were necessary to ensure compliance with the applicable restrictions.