The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday permitted the Mamata Banerjee-led Kalighat faction of the Trinamool Congress to hold its Martyrs’ Day (Shahid Diwas) programme in front of the Birla Planetarium on July 21, subject to a series of stringent conditions aimed at ensuring public convenience and maintaining law and order.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya allowed the rally with a clear cap of 3,000 participants. The court placed full responsibility on the organisers to regulate attendance and strictly adhere to the limit.
The event has been restricted to a fixed time window between 12 noon and 3 pm. The court made it explicit that no gathering or activity linked to the programme would be permitted beyond these hours.
Emphasising minimal disruption to daily life in the city, the court directed that traffic movement must remain smooth during the event. Even if the rally occupies one side of the road, vehicular movement on the other side must continue without hindrance.
Organisers have been instructed to coordinate closely with the police and civic administration to manage traffic and maintain peace. The court also warned that any law and order issue arising from the rally would be the responsibility of the organisers.
State raises concerns over venue
During the hearing, Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra objected to the choice of venue, citing the presence of hospitals and educational institutions in the vicinity of the Birla Planetarium.
On the other hand, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the Kalighat faction, argued that while their application faced hurdles, police had granted permission to a rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. He also noted that the party had historically organised Martyrs’ Day events near Victoria House and expressed willingness to consider alternate venues such as the Y-Channel.
At the outset, Justice Bhattacharyya observed that the Trinamool Congress appeared to have split into two factions following the Assembly elections. He cautioned that parallel large-scale events by both groups could lead to significant inconvenience for the public.
The court suggested alternative venues including Dorina Crossing, Dharmatala West and Hazra, in an attempt to balance competing claims.
Petition held maintainable
The state government also questioned the maintainability of the petition, arguing that it had not been filed by the official party structure. However, the court rejected the objection and proceeded with the matter.
After hearing arguments from all sides and seeking clarification from the administration on potential law and order issues, the court granted conditional permission for the rally at the Birla Planetarium.
The ruling sets the stage for a tightly regulated observance of Martyrs’ Day in Kolkata, with accountability placed squarely on the organisers.