Parking feud: Post CM’s intervention, Howrah Christmas Carnival resumes

Kolkata: Following instructions of the Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee, state sports minister Aroop Biswas intervened to restart the Christmas Carnival in Howrah which came to halt due to a parking-related feud.

On Thursday, Aroop Biswas reached the carnival site at Shashti Narayan Eco Park in Dumurjala, Howrah. A scuffle ensued between two factions in the presence of the minister and the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) chairperson Sujoy Chakraborty. The police were eventually able to contain the situation.

Later, after restarting the carnival, Aroop Biswas, in the presence of Chakraborty and Trinamool MLA from Shibpur, Manoj Tiwari, told the media that there was some misunderstanding which has now been solved. Biswas also announced that since the festival was stopped for four to five days, it will now be extended till January 3.

The carnival was inaugurated on December 22 but soon came to halt after allegations of extortion in the name of parking fees came to the fore. Locals alleged that a group of people working for a private parking agency were charging exorbitant parking fees from the visitors for car parking and even charging the locals for parking bikes and cycles without giving any receipt against the payments.

It was alleged that the accused persons were carrying out such extortion in the name of the Howrah Municipal Corporation. The matter was brought to the attention of the Trinamool MLA Manoj Tiwari, who is also the Minister of State (MoS) for Sports.

On visiting the spot, the locals handed over the accused persons to Tiwari who then confronted them. The accused persons, Md. Arbaaz, Md. Jahangir, Md. Shamshad and Dipu Dubey alleged they were asked to charge such fees by two other persons, one of whom works for the civic body. Later, they also alleged they were manhandled and detained by the supporters of Tiwari. Soon after, the HMC had stopped the carnival citing security reasons.