Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Bengal government to requisition the assistance of central paramilitary forces to avoid the possibility of any breach of peace during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations on Thursday.

The court clearly mentioned that the organisers of the rally should be held responsible in case of any untoward incident.

The detailed guidelines from the court, a source in the state government said, came as a relief for Nabanna against the backdrop of the saffron ecosystem’s allegation that the Bengal administration was responsible for the sporadic violence during Ram Navami celebrations.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was in Digha on Wednesday, said she welcomed the directives of the court.

A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam issued the order on Wednesday as the court felt that certain directives were needed to ensure that the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations were held peacefully.

“Therefore, considering the largeness of the issue and in order to avoid any breach of peace, we are of the definite view that the state government should requisition the assistance of central paramilitary forces from the Centre,” said the order.

As the court order specified that police had the discretion to restrict the number of participants in Hanuman Jayanti rallies, which cannot breach the routes for which permission has been given, the state government heaved a sigh of relief.

A source said the fact that the rally organisers also would be held accountable vindicated the government’s position. “If the court issues such guidelines, it becomes easier for the administration,” said the source.

Soon after the high court’s directive, chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi held a meeting with district magistrates. It was decided that the state would seek three companies of central paramilitary forces and they would be pressed into service in parts of Calcutta, Barrackpore and Hooghly, which have primarily been identified as vulnerable.

The chief secretary told the meeting that permission for such rallies would be granted by the DM and the SP and they would specify the routes through which the rallies would pass.

As the order specifically asked the intelligence department to be proactive to thwart the possibility of any planned attack on rallies, the intelligence wing officials were asked to remain alert.

“Proper security arrangements, barricading and other preparations have to be made before the rallies in trouble-prone areas,” a district magistrate quoted the chief secretary as saying.

Referring to the court order, which mentioned that no political interference should be entertained before and during the rallies, Dwivedi asked the district magistrates to ensure that politics remained decoupled from the celebrations.

As the court order categorically mentioned that no political person would be allowed to make any comment on Hanuman Jayanti, the usual high-pitched war of words between the ruling Trinamul and the BJP was missing on Wednesday. Multiple sources said the court directive was enough to de-escalate tension.

The set of guidelines for the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations was rolled out while the court was hearing a case moved by the leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, seeking the deployment of central forces. The court asked the police to conduct route marches in sensitive areas on Wednesday evening and directed the Centre to take expeditious steps to ensure the deployment of its paramilitary forces.