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Calcutta HC rejects BJP’s plea seeking stay on TMC’s Jan 22 Sampriti Yatra
The inter-faith rally, which the TMC supremo and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will lead, is coinciding with the consecration ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, said the lawyers
Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Thursday rejected the petition filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking postponement of the Sampriti Yatra , which will be held by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on January 22 in Kolkata, lawyers who attended the hearing said.
The inter-faith rally, which the TMC supremo and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will lead, is coinciding with the consecration ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, said the lawyers.
A division bench of chief justice TS Sivagnanam also rejected the BJP’s demand for the deployment of Central paramilitary forces across all Bengal districts on that day.
On Tuesday, Banerjee announced that she will lead the rally from Hazra to Park Circus and, en route, visit places of worship associated with every religion. She said TMC workers will take out similar processions at every community block in every district.
Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the Bengal legislative assembly, filed the petition on Wednesday. The plea mentioned that 35 programmes related to the consecration ceremony would be held in Kolkata on January 22 and there could be unrest because of the TMC rally.
Bengal’s advocate general, Kishore Dutta, argued on Thursday that the petition was based entirely on speculation.
The division bench directed the state to ensure that none of these programmes are affected. The court also issued a directive that no speeches or expressions hurting the sentiments of any religious or sectarian group should be made at the TMC rally.
Welcoming the court’s decision, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “The order is a tight slap on Adhikari’s face. He tried to engineer communal tension with his provocative remarks.”
Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “Our party expressed genuine concerns. We feel that Banerjee has planned the rally to create divisions when the nation witnesses a historic moment.”
While announcing her plans, Banerjee said, “I am not doing this to counter anyone or protest anything. I have already said religion belongs to individuals but festivals are for all. On January 22, I will first offer prayers to Maa Kali and then lead the rally. It will touch temples, mosques, gurdwaras and churches along its route before reaching Park Circus where a meeting will be held. People of all faiths are free to take part.”
She said the rally is a homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose before his birth anniversary on January 23.
