Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday permitted the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), South Bengal unit, to withdraw its public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the use of the word “Dham” in naming the Jagannath Temple at Digha.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen passed the order after the counsel for the petitioners sought permission to withdraw the case with liberty to file it afresh.
The state’s counsel raised no objection to the request. Accordingly, the court dismissed the writ petition as withdrawn, granting the VHP the liberty to move a fresh plea if it chooses to do so.
The petition had questioned the state government’s decision to describe the upcoming Jagannath Temple in Digha as “Jagannath Dham,” contending that the term “Dham” holds unique religious significance linked to the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Tuesday’s order brought the brief round of litigation to a close, though the court’s permission leaves open the possibility of the matter being raised again. The case had attracted public attention after political leaders, including the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, objected to the use of “Dham” for the Digha shrine.