Kolkata: Police have banned rallies, demonstrations or any kind of unlawful gathering from K C Das crossing to Victoria House and its vicinity — excluding Bentinck Street — for the next 60 days. Any violation of the order issued under Section 163 of the BNSS will attract stringent penal action. Lalbazar said this was a regular order that had merely been extended.
The Esplanade area, though, witnessed disruptions with two different protests and rallies even on Thursday afternoon.
The youth and student wings of Left parties on Thursday organized rallies to demand justice for the RG Kar rape-murder victim. Two rallies, one originating from Sealdah and the other from Howrah, converged at Esplanade. The ongoing protests by Congress at the Dorina crossing, too, disrupted normal flow.
BJP has decided to abstain from protests for now. Bengal state president Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday said: “Our movement is going on and will continue. Today was the last day of political activity before the Durga Puja celebrations. During the puja, we will not stage any protest. After Durga Puja, we will again take to the streets.”
Left has challenged the latest order. SUCI(C) state secretary Chandidas Bhattacharya said, “The order is extremely undemocratic and authoritarian.”