Kolkata: No rallies are allowed on the Pahalgam attack for one week, the Calcutta High Court reiterated while denying permission to Kalighat Bahumukhi Seva Samiti to conduct a protest rally from Rashbehari crossing to Triangular Park on Friday evening.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh said that if they were conducting a meeting in the hall, he would not interfere but would not allow any rally on the "Kashmir matter" on the streets. He referred to his observations in the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which was heard on Thursday, wherein he urged political organisations to refrain from organising such programmes, considering the present situation of the country.
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"You organise your protest after Thursday, May 1. Come on Tuesday before the bench for further hearing," Justice Ghosh said while refusing to pay heed to the insistence by the organisation's lawyer, Kaustav Bagchi, that the protest rally would be non-political and peaceful.
"I have disallowed rallies on the Kashmir issue (Pahalgam attack) for one week," Justice Ghosh said. He told Bagchi that he had also informed the same to another advocate who approached the bench after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's plea to hold an anti-waqf meeting at Brigade Parade Ground was not granted by the army for April 26. The judge, while asking the army to reply to the plea for using the ground for the meeting with reason, asked the board to approach the authorities with their plea after May 3.
The state advocates submitted that they do not wish to stand in the way of the protest, but the same cannot be allowed now and can be conducted after a week. The Samiti planned to organise a rally with approximately 150 participants. It was supposed to take place from 5 pm.
Bagchi submitted that a representation was made to the cops and that the protesters were verbally assured that they would be allowed to conduct the rally. "Surprisingly, at the very last moment when almost every preparation for the rally was complete, the police authorities denied permission," the Samiti stated in their petition.