A protest rally led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata has received conditional permission from a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. The rally, addressing various issues including the recent death of a minor girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas district, was initially denied police permission. Banerjee sought urgent intervention from Justice Sougata Bhattacharya, who later granted conditional approval after a detailed hearing.
The court’s conditions for the rally include a restricted route from Ballygunge Phari crossing to Hazra Crossing in South Kolkata. The rally is limited to a two-hour duration, scheduled from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Furthermore, the court specified that the rally must utilize only one lane of the route, allowing the other lane for vehicular traffic. Additionally, the court mandated a maximum participation of 1,000 individuals in the rally.
In response to the Baruipur incident, Banerjee initiated a candlelight protest march from her residence at Kalighat in South Kolkata. Despite facing obstacles from central armed police forces (CAPF) near her residence, Banerjee and her supporters managed to proceed to Harish Chatterjee Street. Notably, Trinamool Congress members Dola Sen, Pratima Mandal, and Biman Banerjee visited Baruipur on Monday, representing a faction within the party that remains loyal to Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s general secretary.
