In a controversial move, Indian military authorities have refused permission for Eid-ul-Adha congregational prayers at Kolkata’s iconic Red Road, citing “military requirements” for the space. The Kolkata Khilafat Committee, which has organized Eid prayers at this century-old venue for decades, received formal rejection through West Bengal Minister Javed Ahmed Khan.
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This decision marks the first disruption in Kolkata’s historic Eid tradition, where both Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha prayers have been held annually since British colonial times. Local Muslim leaders express dismay, noting the Red Road’s symbolic importance as one of Asia’s largest open-air prayer gatherings.
The move comes amid heightened religious tensions in India, with critics alleging systematic marginalization of Muslim practices. Security forces and event organizers have been officially notified of the ban, leaving Kolkata’s Muslim community scrambling for alternative arrangements days before the festival.
