Tripura bans pol meets till Nov 4; TMC rally on Sept 22 stands cancelled

KOLKATA: Tripura government imposed a blanket ban on political rallies, meetings and gatherings till November 4 in view of the ongoing pandemic and the forthcoming Durga Puja. Thus, the rally to be organised by Trinamool Congress on September 22 stands cancelled. Abhishek Banerjee, party's national general secretary, was supposed to lead the procession.

Trinamool Congress had moved the Tripura High Court after the administration refused the party to hold a rally on one pretext or the other. The Court had directed the state government to give its view by Tuesday noon.

The state government in its affidavit submitted before the Court stated that in view of the ongoing pandemic and the forthcoming Durga Puja no political rally, gathering or meeting could be allowed. Tripura government has also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC across the state.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress had urged the police administration to allow it to hold a rally on September 15. The police administration turned down the appeal on the grounds that another political party would hold a rally on the same day.

TMC then moved the police administration with a request to allow a rally on September 16. The police administration once again turned down the request on the ground that September 17 being Viswakarma puja, holding a rally might affect the law and order situation. TMC then decided to hold the rally on September 22 and, failing to get clearance from the police, it moved the High Court in

Tripura.

Tapas Roy, veteran Trinamool Congress leader said the attitude of the state government clearly indicates that the BJP-led government had become mortally scared of Abhishek Banerjee.

"As the people are rallying behind TMC, BJP is trying to stop this by hook or by crook. But this tactic will fail and there will be a change of guards in the 2023 Assembly election," he said.

Meanwhile, Kunal Ghosh, TMC general secretary, Bengal unit fell ill during an interrogation and was admitted to a private hospital in Tripura.

Ghosh had gone to NCC police station in connection with a case filed by the police of Khoai police station two months ago.

The police alleged that Ghosh had intervened in their work. The police interrogated Ghosh for more than two hours when he fell sick. Doctors found that his blood sugar level fell suddenly. The doctors are constantly monitoring his health.