Mamata Banerjee walked in a rally from Esplanade to Wellington Square on Wednesday afternoon, her first march since the Assembly election results.

The former chief minister reached Esplanade around 3.30pm, where a protest
gathering against the eviction of hawkers was underway.

The rally began shortly after Mamata arrived at the KC Das crossing in Esplanade. It ended at Raja Subodh Mullick Square (Wellington Square) after proceeding along Lenin Sarani.

This was Mamata’s second appearance at a political event since the Assembly election results. She had attended an event at the Y-channel in Esplanade on June 2.

A police officer said around 100 people had participated in Wednesday’s rally. Trinamool workers said the turnout was higher.

Since the BJP government came to power in Bengal, hawkers have been evicted from several railway stations with the assistance of the police and central forces.

Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has asserted the right of pedestrians to pavements. His comments sparked fears that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, now headed by an administrator, may come down hard on hawkers.

While the evictions have been criticised, many residents of Calcutta argue that hawkers have occupied large sections of pavements across the city, often leaving
only a narrow strip for pedestrians.

The Street Vending Rules, notified by the state government in 2018, stipulate that hawkers’ stalls must not occupy more than one-third of the width of a pavement.

Many observers felt that Mamata’s rally in support of hawkers was an attempt to re-enter the political space. She has spoken little since her party’s defeat and has remained largely silent over the past couple of weeks.

Mamata did not speak to journalists on Wednesday.

After the rally reached Raja Subodh Mullick Square, she left in a car.

Mamata was flanked by Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen and former Trinamool councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Ratna Sur. Trinamool’s Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh and former mayor-in-council member of KMC, Baiswanor Chattopadhyay, also walked in the rally.

Many participants wore placards around their necks stating that evictions would affect hawkers whose families depended on income from their stalls.

Slogans were raised against the eviction drive.

Though meant to be a rally against hawker evictions, it turned into one that voiced support for Mamata. Cries like “Mamata Banerjee Zindabad” and “Joy Bangla” were heard again.