The annual ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rally of Trinamool Congress in Kolkata will not take place at the traditional venue in front of CESC House this year. The city police informed both factions of the party that they will not be allowed to hold the rally at the busy Esplanade crossing. Both factions, led by Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and the other led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, had requested permission to conduct separate rallies at the old venue.
On Monday, the city police notified that neither faction of Trinamool Congress would be permitted to hold gatherings during peak hours on a working day at the central location. Prohibitory orders limiting the number of people gathering at the venue have also been put in place. Therefore, no programs will be allowed in front of Victoria House on July 21, as confirmed by a city police officer.
Leaders from Mamata’s faction, including party legislator Kunal Ghosh and Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, were spotted measuring the area in front of CESC House for the Martyrs’ Day rally preparations. However, Kolkata Police filed a case against them for disrupting traffic during the measurement exercise. Subsequently, the city police formally decided not to permit any Trinamool Congress faction to organize events in front of CESC House on July 21.
Trinamool Congress has historically held the Martyrs’ Day rally in front of CESC House, with few exceptions. The rally, commemorating the killing of 13 youth Congress workers in 1993 during the CPI(M)-led Left Front regime, has been an annual event. Initially a Congress initiative, Martyrs’ Day on July 21 became a Trinamool Congress-organized event after Mamata Banerjee formed the party in 1998.
