Kolkata braces for Martyrs’ Day rally

Observed as Martyrs’ Day in remembrance of the 13 youth killed in police firing on July 21, 1993, the event is likely to be used by Banerjee as a public thanksgiving for the thumping majority her party received in the assembly polls.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inspected the dais at the junction of Bentinck Street and Chittaranjan Avenue on Wednesday evening. She reached the place at around 7.20 p.m. and interacted with party leaders. Other senior leaders of the party including Subrata Bakshi, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Partha Chatterjee, Abhishek Banerjee and Firhad Hakim were also present at the spot.

Banerjee, who has been cracking the whip against party infighting as well as the rise of illegal syndicates, is also expected to give a stern message to her partymen.

Following the Chief Minister’s instructions, the state administration has cracked down on criminals in the past few days and taken into custody over 7,000 people from across the state. 

Among those arrested are two TMC men, including Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation’s influential member Anindya Chatterjee, accused of extortion. Trinamool General Secretary Mukul Roy said the event will see Banerjee simultaneously play the twin role of a chief minister and party chief.

“On one hand, the message would be for the state’s people from the government while on the other hand she (Mamata) will address the party workers,” said Roy.

There will be five routes through which buses and trucks carrying party supporters can reach the venue, that include Vidyasagar Bridge, Nivedita Setu and Howrah Bridge for the buses coming from Hooghly, Howrah and Burdwan. People from South 24-Parganas will take the Diamond Harbour Road.

The major thoroughfares through which the party workers will march to the venue are Brabourne Road, S N Banerjee Road, Chittaranjan Avenue and Jawaharlal Nehru Road. There will be separate places where all the buses and trucks will be parked and the vehicles will not be allowed to ply beyond a certain limit.

 Mamata Banerjee is expected to address the gathering sometime in between 11.30 am to 12.30 pm. But, people will start arriving early in the morning to secure a place close to the stage so that they can get a clear glimpse of Banerjee.

City police have made elaborate arrangements, including installation of CCTV’s at strategic locations and deployment of several thousand police personnel across the city. 

While nearly 3,000 personnel will be deployed around the grand stage erected in front of the Victoria House at Esplanade, several Radio Flying Squads and Heavy Radio Flying Squads and at least a dozen ambulances will be on standby, said a police officer. Bomb disposal and dog squads will also 

be deployed.