High Court of Tripura at night granted permission to the Trinamool Congress to hold their rally to be attended by Abhishek Banerjee in front of Rabindra Sata Barshiki Bhawan. The TMC had moved the High Court at night as the impasse continued for entire day following Tripura police’s denial of permission for the rally in front RS Bhawan on the pretext of Covid pandemic, though the police allowed them to hold the rally at Astabal Ground. The TMC rally would now be held in front of RS Bhawan on Saturday as scheduled.
However, the HC had put some restrictions, said TMC leaders, as far as number of the attendees in the rally was concerned.
Advocate Sankar Lodh moved the petition of TMC before the High Court of Tripura seeking its intervention so that the party can hold the rally in the same place for which the permission was granted by police.
After conducting a virtual hearing on the petition on urgent basis, the High Court prescribed some conditions and allowed the Trinamool Congress to organize the rally with no change in the venue, TCM leader Kunal Ghosh told the media.
“The court has given some conditions including the number of attendees. We shall obey the conditions. It’s a matter of joy that Abhishek Banerjee will address the rally barring all the obstacles put in by the state government,” Ghosh told the media.
TMC MP Sushmita Dev in a tweet commented that the court decision was a ‘moral victory’ for the party.
“I thank the Honble High court of Tripura for allowing us to hold the meeting of @abhishekaitc with restrictions of upto a certain number of people only@at the same venue. The police has been acting so arbitrarily & this is a moral victory. Thank the supporters of @AITC4Tripura,” she commentedThe TMC leaders and workers welcomed the decision of the High Court that brought huge relief for them.
According to the TMC leaders, prior permission was taken from police for organizing the rally in front of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan but police suddenly started asking for changing the venue to Astabal ground citing Covid related issues—the intelligence report predicted gathering of around 10,000 people.
Construction of the stage and other preparations for Banerjee’s rally were nearing completion when police asked for changing the venue. However, the TMC state steering committee convenor Subal Bhowmik and other leaders were reluctant to change the venue. The TMC leaders and workers including MP Sushmita Dev even staged a demonstration protesting the police’s role.
Bhowmik alleged that the Biplab Kumar Dev-led government was misusing the police and administration out of fear.
He said that the permission was granted on condition and the party had accepted all the conditions, keeping in view the Covid protocols. But, the police had asked to change the venue at the last moment.
Pic : TMC holding protest in front of RS Bhawan on Saturday
