Kolkata, June 30 (IANS) The annual ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rally of Trinamool Congress will not be allowed this time at the old and traditional venue in front of CESC House at the busy Esplanade crossing in central Kolkata, the police on Tuesday informed both factions of the party.

Both factions — one led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee and the other led by the expelled party legislator, Ritabrata Banerjee — have sought police permission to conduct the rally separately at the old and traditional venue.

However, on Monday, it was informed by the city police that neither of the two Trinamool Congress factions would be allowed to hold the gatherings during the busy hours on a working day at that prime crossing point in the heart of the city.

“At the same time, prohibitory orders restricting the gathering of more than a specific number of people at the place and around the venue are in place. Therefore, no one will be allowed to organise any programme in front of Victoria House on July 21,” said a city police officer.

To recall, leaders from Mamata’s faction, like party legislator Kunal Ghosh and Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, were seen taking measurements in front of the CESC House on Sunday as preparations to set up the stage for the Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21.

Kolkata Police even filed a case against Dola Sen and Kunal Ghosh for obstructing traffic and performing the measurement exercise. Thereafter, the city police took a formal decision not to allow any programme to any of the Trinamool Congress factions in front of the CESC House on July 21

With very few exceptions, Trinamool Congress has always been conducting the Martyrs’ Day rally in front of CESC House. The rally was organised every year to condemn the killing of 13 youth Congress workers on this date in 1993 during the erstwhile CPI(M)-led Left Front regime, when nonagenarian Late Jyoti Basu was the West Bengal Chief Minister.

Observing Martyrs’ Day on July 21 was initially a Congress event till Mamata Banerjee formed the Trinamool Congress by breaking away from the Congress in 1998. Since then, observing Martyrs’ Day in July became a Trinamool Congress-arranged affair.

–IANS

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