Kolkata: Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque Maulana Nurur Rehman Barkati on Tuesday said that he will continue to use the red beacon as permission for it was given by the erstwhile British government.

Here's what the Imam Barkati said:

"I am a Shahi Imam and hence I won't give up red beacon despite court's order. A Shahi Imam has been using 'lal batti' since the CPI(M)'s period and nobody has ever objected to it.

The govt has no right to ban the red light. Ministers goes to people's house and beg for votes, hence they have no right to use the red beacon.

The current government in West Bengal is brought by us. Mamata Banerjee ji herself doesn't use red beacon. Mamata has asked me to use red beacon. West Bengal is different from rest of the country. Rules and regulations are decided here by the state government and not Centre. Here, the state government has permitted us to use the 'lal batti'.

I speak to Mamata Banerjee everyday. Even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself comes to me and asks me not to use the 'lal batti', I will not oblige to him.

I will remove red beacon once everyone does the same. I will continue to use as I have got permission from the 'British government'.

The Indian government first needs to make its own law, they have not formulated any laws."

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader C.K. Bose branded Imam Burkati anti-national and said, "I think he should be immediately arrested and put behind the bars as no one is allowed to break the law."

Imam Barkati is already infamous for issuing a fatwa against Prime Minister Barkati is already infamous for issuing a fatwa against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decision to demonetise old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.