The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday refused to permit the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress to host its July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally outside Victoria House at Esplanade, ruling that the event would severely disrupt traffic on a major city artery.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya stated that holding the rally at the requested central Kolkata location would block Chittaranjan Avenue. In response, the court directed the state government to evaluate alternative venues proposed by the organizers and adjourned the matter until Wednesday afternoon to hear the administration’s feedback.
Proposed Alternative Venues
During the proceedings, Kalyan Banerjee, counsel for the Trinamool faction, proposed several alternative locations. These options include the Dorina crossing or the Metro channel at Esplanade, or holding the event in front of the Birla Planetarium in south Kolkata, situated approximately two kilometers from other scheduled rallies.
The lawyer informed the court that the rally is expected to attract an estimated crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 participants.
Police Stance And Other July 21 Events
The legal challenge was initiated by the faction against a prohibitory order issued by the Kolkata Police under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which restricted gatherings around the Victoria House area.
Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra clarified that the police do not object to the rally taking place, but insist it must be held at a different venue. The court questioned this position, asking why a third rally could not be accommodated in the general area with sufficient security, given that two other demonstrations have already received police clearance for the same day.
These authorized events include a rally by another faction near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Mayo Road and a Congress party gathering at the Shahid Minar ground.
History Of The Commemoration
The July 21 rally has been organized in front of Victoria House since 1993 under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, with only two or three exceptions.
The annual event commemorates 13 Congress workers who were killed during a demonstration on July 21, 1993, when Mamata Banerjee served as the president of the Youth Congress. The day has been observed as Martyrs’ Day since that incident.
