Mamata Banerjee Named In FIR For Violating Calcutta High Court Rally Guidelines

The political atmosphere in West Bengal has intensified as the Kolkata Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mamata Banerjee and the organizers of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) rally, while the legal action follows allegations that the rally, held on Wednesday, August 28, directly contravened specific directives issued by the Calcutta High Court. The FIR was lodged at the Hastings Police Station, marking a significant legal challenge for the Trinamool Congress leadership following their foundation day celebrations.

Details of the Alleged Violations

According to police officials, the primary grounds for the FIR involve the failure to adhere to the logistical constraints set by the judiciary. The Calcutta High Court had granted permission for the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad to celebrate its foundation day on Cathedral Road in the state capital. However, this permission came with a strict mandate to keep one flank of the road open to ensure the smooth flow of public traffic. Reports from the ground and police observations indicated that the organizers failed to keep the flank open, leading to a complete blockage of the thoroughfare.

Also, the police highlighted a breach of the sanctioned time frame. The court had stipulated that the entire program must be concluded within a specific window, starting from 12 PM and ending by 3 PM. An officer from the Hastings Police Station, as cited by news agency PTI, confirmed that the event continued well beyond the 3 PM deadline. The officer stated that the FIR was registered for the alleged violation of the court order and emphasized that the roles of all individuals involved in these violations would be thoroughly scrutinized during the ongoing investigation.

Specific Directives of the Calcutta High Court

The legal backdrop of the rally involved petitions from two different factions of the Trinamool Congress seeking permission to celebrate the TMCP foundation day. The court had allocated different venues to manage the crowds: Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction was permitted to hold their meeting at Rani Rashmoni Road, while Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat Trinamool faction was assigned a specific side of Cathedral Road.

The High Court's order was highly specific to prevent public inconvenience. It limited the number of participants to no more than 1500 workers and supporters. Also, the police were tasked with providing full security coverage while ensuring that one side of both Cathedral Road and Rani Rashmoni Road remained accessible to the public. The failure to maintain these open lanes and the extension of the program beyond the three-hour limit form the core of the current legal proceedings.

Political Reactions and Directives from Suvendu Adhikari

The situation took a sharper political turn with the involvement of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who accused the organizers of blatant disregard for judicial authority. Adhikari pointed out that the participants were summoned under trees and effectively blocked the entire road, violating the spirit and letter of the High Court's instructions, while he stated, "Look how they broke the High Court's order? They called people under the tree and blocked the road.

During the rally, Mamata Banerjee delivered a fiery speech, launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and the BJP government, while she addressed the ongoing political friction and issued a stern warning regarding the treatment of Trinamool Congress workers. Banerjee asserted that if the alleged atrocities against her party members continued, she wouldn't hesitate to take the matter to the International Court. The filing of the FIR now adds a new layer of legal complexity to the already volatile political landscape in the state.