A single bench of Calcutta High Court on Friday approved the BJP’s proposed Parivartan Yatra (Rally for Change), but with a few riders.
Justice Suvra Ghosh said the BJP would have to restrict its rally between March 1
and 6.
“Not more than 1,000 persons will be allowed in the rally at any point at any given time. Rallyists will have to ensure free movement of traffic during the programme,” the judge said.
The court said in the order that rallyists would not be allowed to make any unparliamentary and provocative comments. “Peace and harmony should be maintained during the programme,” Justice Ghosh said.
Tarunjyoti Tiwari, the lawyer for the BJP, said: “The Yatra was supposed to start from February 19. But the party failed to obtain permission from the police in the districts. The rally will start from nine different districts of the state.”
Tiwari assured that the rally would start after a public gathering on the court ground in Cooch Behar. BJP leaders will address nine meetings in different districts.
“Apart from Cooch Behar, rallies will be held on private land in other districts,” Tiwari said.
When the judge asked whether the BJP had obtained permission from the district administration to hold the meeting on the Court ground in Cooch Behar, Tiwari replied: “The party has already submitted a proper application to the district magistrate.”
Appearing for the state, advocate general Kishore Datta opposed the prayer.
“The only purpose of the rally was to create a law-and-order problem when various school-level examinations were being held in the state. Free movement of traffic will be disturbed if the rally is allowed to be organised. There are fair chances of the rally trying to disrupt communal harmony,” the AG submitted.
While the court gave its go-ahead to the rally, BJP leaders said that the Parivartan Yatra would start from nine locations across Bengal on Sunday and Monday. The rally will cover 250 Assembly segments and reach all its organisational districts before concluding in Calcutta.
The march will culminate at a mega meeting to be addressed by Narendra Modi on the Brigade Parade Ground in Calcutta. The BJP will announce the date of the Brigade rally soon. A source said the meeting was likely to be held on March 15 or 16.
National BJP leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah and the party’s national president Nitin Nabin, will inaugurate the yatras. Nabin will take part in two rallies in north and south Bengal. Shah will lead the march from Raidighi in Mathurapur on March 2.
The first four rallies will begin on March 1 from Cooch Behar, Krishnanagar in Nadia, Kulti in West Burdwan, and Garbeta in West Midnapore. The remaining five Yatras will commence on March 2 from Islampur in North Dinajpur, Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas, Hasan in Birbhum, Mathurapur in South 24-Parganas, and Amta in Howrah.
Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP state president, urged people, including Trinamool Congress supporters who had not benefited from power in Bengal, as well as Congress and CPM supporters, to join the rallies to bring about a change in the state.