Law violation programmes banned

Kolkata Commissioner of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha announced this at an all-party meeting this morning. “We told the political parties that we would not allow any law violation programme to be organised in the Kolkata Police area in the city. Our city is not a planned one. During such programmes,we need to withdraw buses and divert vehicles that inconvenience the citizens and result in disruption of normal activities.”

Besides,he added,that the Kolkata Police does not have adequate infrastructure to deal with such programmes. “We are building a proper infrastructure to deal with law and order issues. Till then we cannot allow law violation programmes in the city,” he added.

Even as Purakayastha claimed that all parties have accepted his decision,it has been learnt that nine of the 11 parties at the meeting are against the decision.

The immediate provocation to such an announcement,obviously prompted by the ruling Trinamool Congress government,could be two recent incidents of law violations — one by the Students’ Federation of India and the other by the Socialist Unity Centre of India. In the SFI’s law violation programme,Sudipta Gupta,the outfit’s activist,died in police custody while SUCI members assaulted the police and were also beaten up by the police last week.

The political circles also pointed out that Chief MInister Mamata Banerjee disrupted normal life for 29 days when she held a fast-unto-death on Metro Channel,demanding return of land to the Singur farmers.