The high court on Tuesday allowed the Trinamool Congress to hold a march through south Calcutta on Wednesday to protest against the Baruipur gang rape, overruling the state’s objections and noting that, as the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, had himself sought a similar relief.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya permitted the march from Ballygunge Phari to Hazra Crossing, subject to conditions that participation be capped at 1,000, one flank of the road remain open to traffic, and the rally be held between 2pm and 4pm.
“A few months ago, a similar petition was moved by the present chief minister (Suvendu) before the court after the police declined to allow him to organise a rally in Cooch Behar. The court took a similar view then, too,” Justice Bhattacharyya said.
In December, Suvendu had approached the high court after Mamata Banerjee’s police denied him permission to hold the rally. The court had then permitted him.
On Tuesday, Trinamool MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee moved the court seeking permission to hold
the rally.
Kalyan said that party chief Mamata Banerjee had been confined to her Kalighat home on Sunday by a large contingent of police and central forces deployed outside the house. He told the court the party apprehended that the police would prevent them from holding the rally on Wednesday.
The Trinamool chief claimed she had been virtually placed under “house arrest” to prevent her from visiting Baruipur.
Kalyan said the police had been emailed about the rally on Wednesday.
Counsel for the state, additional advocate-general Rajdeep Majumdar, opposed the plea citing traffic disruption. “Movement of vehicular traffic will be disrupted if the rally is allowed. There is a hospital and schools along the road,” Majumdar said.
Justice Bhattacharyya observed that everyone has the right to protest and that the police could not prevent the petitioner from holding a political programme.
The bench also allowed only hand-held microphones and directed the organisers to submit the names and phone numbers of at least 10 volunteers to the police by Tuesday night.