Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the ‘Saghati’ march (harmony rally), which will be held on January 22. On the same day, PM Modi will lead the consecration ceremony of the new Ram temple at Ayodhya.
The PIL was filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who had also demanded the deployment of Paramilitary Force on January 22. The matter was heard by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya. “Several writ petitions have been filed before this court not only by third parties but by the present writ petitioner (Adhikari) himself seeking permission to hold rallies, meetings, etc.
The court has passed orders from time to time and in certain cases, the court has directed deployment of central forces wherein specific instances were brought to the notice of the court with regards to disruption of movement of public and the grave likelihood of breach of peace and tranquillity,” the Division Bench observed.
It was submitted that the rally would start at 3 pm at Hazra crossing and pass through Ballygunge Phari before ending at Park Circus.
The Court observed that a rally will disrupt the normal flow of traffic and cause inconvenience and that it’s the duty of the state and TMC to ensure that the common public is not affected.
The petitioner submitted that instructions have been given to the party’s district functionaries on conducting such a rally on all blocks on January 22. The Bench observed that such rallies will cause hardship to people. It was directed that the procedure for obtaining permission needs to be followed.The Bench further directed that the state has to ensure that none of the programmes that have been permitted for the day be affected in any way.
Reacting to the judgement TMC spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya Dev wrote on X: “It must be tragic for @amitmalviya that the Calcutta High Court has refused to stay Smt. Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Sampriti’ rally.
It must be difficult to wrap your head around the fact that people from all faiths can rise above religious difference and come together in a harmonious celebration of unity.
Is that why you keep mentioning previous instances of violence which, by the way, were perpetrated by your party workers? Is that how you plan on disrupting the all-faith rally AGAIN?”