The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted permission to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hold a rally and meeting in Siliguri on July 21, the same day the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) will conduct its annual Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, while allowing the BJP’s plea, imposed specific restrictions to ensure public order. The court limited attendance at the event to a maximum of 10,000 people and directed that each participating group should not exceed 100 individuals. The rally is permitted to take place between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The BJP had originally planned a march to Uttarkanya, the North Bengal secretariat, but the court directed that the rally be confined to a ground in Chunabhatti, Siliguri, citing logistical and security concerns.
The party moved the High Court after local police refused permission to conduct the procession along its proposed route. The West Bengal government, in its opposition, raised concerns over potential congestion due to the large influx of people expected to travel to Kolkata for the TMC’s high-profile annual rally.
However, the court noted that since the TMC event is scheduled in Kolkata, most of the participants would likely have reached the state capital well before the BJP’s rally begins in Siliguri, thereby reducing the likelihood of overlapping congestion.
The court also directed the police to ensure strict maintenance of law and order during the BJP’s event.
