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Journalism of Courage
Political parties can no longer organise law violation programmes in the heart of the city or hold meetings and rallies at the Metro channel in central Kolkata.
The landmark move,which has sparked strong reactions from various parties,has apparently been taken on the ground that the police lack adequate infrastructure to control such programmes,and also that they inconvenience citizens who are not part of these programmes.
Kolkata Commissioner of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha announced this at an all-party meeting on Saturday morning. We held a meeting with all political parties today. We told them 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 the law and order issues. Till then we cannot allow law violation programmes in the city, he added.
Even as Purakayastha claimed that all political parties have accepted his decision,it has been learnt that nine of the 11 parties that attended the meeting are opposed to the decision.
The immediate provocation to such an announcement,apparently 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. Sudipta Gupta,a SFI activist,died in police custody recently under controversial circumstances while SUCI members assaulted the police and were also beaten up by the police last week.
Two of the political parties,including the ruling party,Trinamool Congress,and the Nationalist Congress Party,have not reacted. TMC general secretary Mukul Roy was present in the meeting.
CPM state committee member Rabin Deb said,This is an attempt to strangulate democracy and choke our voices. We have pre-declared programme of law violation in the city on May 31.
