The sensitive issue of Hindus being not allowed to organise Durga Puja festivities in a village in West Bengal has reached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

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Congress leader and activist Shehzad Poonawala filed a petition seeking attention to the allegedly unconstitutional action by the West Bengal administration to not allow Hindus in Nalhati village of Birbhum district to celebrate Durga Puja. Read: This Muslim man has been organising Durga Puja in Raigarh since 23 years

He has also demanded an independent investigation into the incident, calling for a show-cause notice to the Bengal government to elicit all the facts to ascertain the stand of the government in this regard.

"Denying legitimate fundamental rights to belief, faith and worship to any community, majority or minority, Hindu or non-Hindu is a violation of Article 14, 19, 21 and 25 of the Constitution and in direct conflict with the secular character of the Constitution. Very often politicians and governments are in the habit of 'manufacturing communal' situations and deliberately try to incite communities against one another," he said in the petition.

As per reports, Hindus in Nalhati village of Birbhum district have not been able to celebrate Durga Puja since 2012. Reports claim that the Muslim community in the village has pressurised the administration to not grant permission to the Hindu community to organise Durga Puja.