TMC to go ahead with ‘gherao’ protest on August 5 despite Calcutta High Court striking down plan

Even as the Calcutta High Court on Monday passed an interim order restraining Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, among other party functionaries, from carrying out the pre-planned ‘gherao’ of residences of BJP leaders, the party confirmed that it will go ahead with its planned event on August 5 in demand of the fund that the Centre owes to Bengal but is withholding illegally.

On Monday morning, the court objected to the ‘gherao’ event of the TMC, expressing concerns that it will disrupt the daily lives of ordinary citizens. The court felt such a political protest is detrimental to the public interest. The court passed an interim order in a plea by BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya refused to believe that if 1000 to 2000 people gherao the residence of one person, others will remain unaffected. It was observed that the state ought to take cognizance. The Bench questioned: “Suppose someone says they want to gherao the High Court premises…will the state not take cognizance?”

It was on July 21 Martyrs’ Day event that TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee urged block-level leaders in all the 341 blocks to prepare a list of BJP leaders in their area and gherao their houses for eight hours on August 5 in a peaceful manner. “If there are any elderly in the family, let them go. But BJP leaders should not be allowed to leave or enter their homes between 10 am to 6 pm as part of this ‘Gono Gherao,’” Abhishek had said.

However, just as it was being assumed that the party would drop its plan following the court’s order, senior TMC leader Tapas Roy confirmed to the media that while TMC has high respect for the court, it will continue with its planned protest on August 5.

Addressing the media, he said on July 21 after Abhishek had announced the gherao programme, party’s chairperson Mamata Banerjee, correcting Abhishek, announced that picketing will be done at 100m from the residences, without inconveniencing anyone and maintaining peace.

He confirmed that TMC will stick to its plan and will be carrying out protests on August 5, from 10 am to 6 pm, at every block, maintaining law and order and political discipline.

While passing the restraining order, the court observed that on the July 21 Martyrs’ Day event of TMC, held at the heart of the city, entire court proceedings had come to a standstill and no work could be done beyond 11:30 am.