Siliguri: With political momentum building across Bengal, leaders and workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from Siliguri and various parts of North Bengal have departed for Kolkata to participate in the party’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally, scheduled to be held at Dharmatala on Monday.
The rally, a significant event in TMC’s political calendar, will once again be addressed by party supremo Mamata Banerjee, with thousands expected to gather in attendance. TMC supporters, including large contingents from the Darjeeling district plains, boarded trains from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station on Saturday night. Among the senior leaders already in Kolkata are Papiya Ghosh, Alok Chakraborty and others.
Speaking before her departure, Papiya Ghosh said: “This day is very important for us. We pray for the martyrs and receive guidance from our supremo. This year, the rally will also serve as a platform to protest against the Central government’s unjust actions and BJP’s divisive politics,” she said.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) prepares for its Uttarkanya Abhiyan. The youth wing of the BJP plans to hold a large protest rally demanding justice for women in the state. Initially, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police had denied permission for the rally, citing disruptions to local hospitals and schools along the proposed route. However, the BJYM approached the Calcutta High Court, which granted permission with conditions.
The court directed that the rally and meeting must be conducted between 11 am and 5 pm, under police supervision to ensure law and order. Notably, the number of participants is capped at 10,000, with each group limited to 100 members. Instead of marching to Uttarkanya, the meeting will now be held at a designated ground in Chunabhatti, as instructed by the court.
On Sunday, Indranil Khan, state president of BJYM, visited the Chunabhatti ground to oversee preparations. “Our rally is to demand justice for women across Bengal.
Thousands of workers from all over North Bengal will be present. We will fully comply with the High Court’s guidelines,” Khan said.
A huge police force will be deployed throughout the rally and meeting.