Kolkata, July 15: The Kolkata High Court has granted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) permission to hold a meeting on July 21, subject to certain conditions. The event cannot take place in front of Victoria House and must be held on a portion of the road near the Birla Planetarium to keep another section of the planetarium clear.
The court has stipulated that the number of attendees should not exceed 3,000. To ensure public safety, local police authorities have been directed to maintain law and order during the event.
It is noteworthy that the TMC decided to approach the Kolkata High Court on July 1 against the imposition of prohibitory orders in central Kolkata. The party has historically commemorated ‘Shaheed Diwas’ on July 21 each year in this area.
On June 30, the Kolkata Police announced that permission for the ‘Shaheed Diwas’ event would not be granted this year near the busy Esplanade Crossing in front of CESC House. The police had enforced Section 163 of the Indian National Security Code (BNSC) in that area, prohibiting gatherings of more than a specified number of people at the same time and place.
Kalyan Banerjee, a senior lawyer and four-time Lok Sabha MP from TMC, stated that enforcing Section 163 across the entire area for two months is illegal. He expressed concerns that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari seems fearful of democratic gatherings and organized protests.
“We will definitely challenge this order in court. We will file a case and confront it both legally and politically. We have complete faith in the country’s judicial system,” Banerjee asserted. He added, “Democratic movements cannot be suppressed in this manner.”
TMC MP Mahua Moitra expressed confidence that the judiciary would address the state administration’s undemocratic excesses.
The TMC has consistently organized the Shaheed Diwas rally in front of CESC House. This annual event, held on July 21 since 1993, condemns the killings of Congress workers. Initially organized by Congress, the event has been led by TMC since its formation by Mamata Banerjee in 1998 after breaking away from Congress.
Leave a Comment