Calcutta High Court allows a sit-in by BJP ex-servicemen cell in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue in Maidan, with 200 participants. The protest is against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments on serving personnel after TMC’s stage was dismantled by the Army.
Kolkata: On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court permitted a sit-in protest by the ex-servicemen cell of the BJP in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located in the Maidan area, allowing a maximum of 200 participants.
The members of the outfit are planning to stage the demonstration to protest against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks regarding serving personnel.
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The protest follows the dismantling of a stage erected by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) beside the Gandhi statue on September 1, which was intended to highlight alleged atrocities against migrant workers from West Bengal.
Allowing the demonstration scheduled for Thursday, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh clarified that no office-bearers of the BJP would be permitted to gather at the site. However, the court allowed office-bearers of the ex-servicemen cell associated with the BJP to organise the programme.
Justice Ghosh also imposed restrictions on the use of sound systems, stating that
“one loudspeaker and hand mics would be allowed to be used to address the gathering,”
which will take place between 12 pm and 5 pm.
The petition for the protest was filed seeking a direction from the court to the Kolkata Police to allow the programme in front of the Gandhi statue.
Opposing the plea, Advocate General Kishore Dutta told the court that the police had suggested three alternative locations for the event —
“Y Channel at Esplanade, Shahid Minar and Subodh Mallick Square.”
The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that the Army authorities have provided a no-objection certificate for holding the rally on September 11 in front of the Gandhi statue.
The Maidan area is under the jurisdiction of the Indian Army, with its Eastern Command headquarters located nearby at Fort William. The Chief Minister had personally visited the area after the Army took action to dismantle the stage.
A defence official had earlier stated on September 1,
“The Indian Army (Local military Authority, Kolkata) gives permission for events in the Maidan area for a duration of two days, as directed by the Supreme Court.”
He further added,
“Permission for events greater than three days needs to be obtained from the MoD, Govt of India.”
This legal approval comes amid heightened political sensitivities in Kolkata, with the BJP and TMC engaging in a public dispute over protests and statements concerning the armed forces and migrant workers.
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