Keep pre-puja sale zones off stir grid: Cops to protesters
Times of India | 13 September 2024
Kolkata: Please keep major shopping zones in the city free of demonstrations ahead of Durga Puja, especially on weekends, and don’t hold too many rallies at the same spot: These are a few requests that Kolkata Police plans to take to organisers of “flash protests” against the RG Kar crime. Cops, however, maintained it would merely be a request and that they would not “push for results”.
Cops pointed out an SOP for larger, organized protests, including political ones, was being drafted.
“We want to explain that both protests and businesses can run together. With barely three weekends left till Durga Puja, we are only asking protesters to allow traders to carry out business. This can be done in three ways: the protesters can move away from the entry points to main market zones, they can shift their demonstrations to such a time that main trading does not suffer and they can also stage demonstrations on inside roads, but maybe not on main roads,” said an officer.
Police pointed out traders had been losing out on business at even shopping zones, like Hatibagan, Gariahat and New Market, owing to traffic jams and roadblocks amid the demonstrations. “A section of traders has been seeking a policy so that buyers can reach them despite protests. While we cannot stop peaceful protests, given a specific Supreme Court mandate, we can help protesters stage demonstrations in such a way that trade is not hampered,” said an officer.
“Elaborate police arrangements will be made for the weekend for all the planned rallies, called by multiple groups,” said an officer. “We have instructed cops on the ground not to indulge in any altercation whatsoever and to be composed while making the requests to the protesters. No form of coercion will be tolerated.” Pointing out that they would ensure nothing escalated into a law-and-order problem, as noticed in Garia, the officer said, “We will ask local police stations cops to keep an eye on roads and ensure protesters face no harassment. Multiple spots have been identified for extra deployment,” said an officer.