After the legal battle surrounding the annual July 21 Martyrs’ Day programme, the dispute over the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad’s (TMCP) foundation day celebrations has now reached the Calcutta High Court. The Kalighat-aligned faction of the student organisation has approached the court seeking permission to hold its foundation day rally on August 28.

An urgent hearing in the matter is likely to take place next Wednesday before Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya.

During Monday’s proceedings, advocate Arka Kumar Nag, appearing for the Kalighat faction, brought the matter to the court’s attention. He submitted that a written application seeking police permission for the August 28 rally had been submitted on July 27.

According to the faction, follow-up letters were subsequently sent to the authorities on August 3 and August 7 seeking an update on the application. However, no response was received from Lalbazar police headquarters or the local administration.

With the proposed rally date approaching and no decision communicated by the authorities, the faction moved the High Court seeking judicial intervention.

Mayo Road venue at centre of dispute

The TMCP’s foundation day rally has traditionally been held at the foot of the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road in central Kolkata. This year, however, the customary venue has become a point of contention amid a major split within the organisation.

The question of which faction will be permitted to hold its programme at the traditional venue has gained added political significance following the parent organisation’s electoral setback and the subsequent division within the student wing.

TMCP split into three factions

According to the factional arrangement cited by the petitioners, the TMCP is currently divided into three camps.

One faction has aligned itself with the NCPI, while another remains with the camp of Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. The third faction continues to be associated with the original Kalighat camp.

The divisions were also visible during this year’s July 21 programme. While the NCPI organised a separate event in Delhi, the Kalighat faction and the Ritabrata-aligned faction held separate programmes at different locations in Kolkata.

Kalighat camp wants to retain tradition

Against this backdrop, questions have arisen over which faction will secure permission to use the traditional Mayo Road venue for the August 28 foundation day rally.

The Kalighat faction, however, has maintained that it intends to organise its main foundation day programme at Mayo Road, continuing the venue’s long-standing association with the TMCP’s annual celebrations.

The High Court’s decision is therefore likely to have significance beyond the August 28 rally, as it could also influence the competing claims of the rival factions over the organisation’s traditional programmes and venues.

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