Left to rein in rallies, calls all-party meet on Oct 26

Bowing under tremendous public pressure to rein in rallies and processions which often put the city out of gear, the Left Front government i...

Bowing under tremendous public pressure to rein in rallies and processions which often put the city out of gear, the Left Front government is bringing in legislations to impose restrictions. The government has convened an all-party meeting on October 26 to discuss a draft it has already prepared.

On September 29, Justice Amitava Lala of the Calcutta High Court had given an order restricting rallies in the city during weekdays. The state government moved a division bench that stayed the ban till further orders.

‘‘Taking out rallies is our democratic right, but we will have to see that the common people do not suffer. The government’s self-imposed proposal is a compromise of some sort with the high court’’, Ashok Ghosh, general secretary, Forward Block, a major constituent of the Left Front, said.

The salient features of the proposal according to Ghosh:

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Processions will always move along one side of the road and in one single file; Rallies will not be allowed anywhere else other than Brigade Parade Ground, Sahid Minar and Rani Rashmoni Road in central Kolkata, Deshbandhu Park in north Kolkata, Deshapriya Park in south Kolkata, and Pak Circus Maidan in east-central Kolkata; Some of the important roads like Chittaranjam Avenue, Brabourne Road, etc will be declared procession-free zones; Processions from Howrah and Sealdah stations will come through one corridor which will be identified; Important vehicles like ambulances, fire

tenders, school buses etc. will always be allowed to pass.

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