A day before the proposed Nabanna Abhijan rally marking the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Bengal Police imposed restrictions on protests.
Four of the top most police officers in the state and the twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah - ADG (law and order) Jawed Shamim, ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar, the Kolkata police chief Manoj Verma and Howrah city police chief Praveen Tripathy - made it clear that no protests would be allowed near the state secretariat where assembly in large numbers is prohibited.
“The Santragachhi bus stand and Rani Rasmoni Avenue have been designated for protests,” said Sarkar, the ADG (South Bengal). “Remain peaceful and abide by the laws. Not abiding by the law will invite necessary legal action.”
The cops made it clear that any form of violence, damage to public property, or assault on public servants would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
A year ago, on the intervening night of August 8 and 9, the 31-year old PGT was raped and murdered inside the seminar hall of the emergency building in the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The crime - one of the most heinous ones in Kolkata’s recent history- had seen widespread public protests as the anger spilled on the roads and went on for months, marking one of the largest protests involving the common people in the 14 years of the Mamata Banerjee government.
On Thursday, hearing a PIL filed by a Howrah resident against Saturday’s march to the state secretariat, a division bench of the Calcutta high court comprising Justices Sujoy Pal and Smita Das De had turned down the plea to stop the march.
“This court declined to pass any prohibitory order as sought for by the petitioner therein. This court poignantly held that the right to protest is a fundamental right. Thus, no case is made out for passing any blanket prohibitory order on the similar protest,” read the order on the high court website.
The victim’s parents have called the march to the state secretariat with an appeal to all the political parties to join without the party colours. The leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari had earlier told The Telegraph Online that he would join the protest with party workers.
A forum, Abhaya Manch, formed after last year’s gruesome rape and murder has called for protests starting from tonight and also a march to the chief minister’s residence.
Heavy police deployment is expected in and around central and west Kolkata on Saturday, as well as along the Vidyasagar Setu and Howrah Bridge approach roads.
Police have also issued advisories to commuters, urging them to avoid certain stretches and seek alternative routes during the day.
On August 27 last year, a similar march to Nabanna seeking “justice” for the victim had sparked violence in which more than 40 policemen were injured.
