A former army personnel approached the Calcutta High Court to seek permission for a dharna at Mayo Road in protest of comments made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the Indian Army.

The petitioner moved court on Thursday after Kolkata Police denied him permission for the dharna, which was planned for September 8.

The matter was mentioned before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who allowed the matter to be filed. It will be heard on Monday.

According to the petitioner, the Indian Army has been “insulted and hurt” by Banerjee’s comments. On Monday, Banerjee had hit out at the Central government for what she saw as “misusing” the Indian Army to dismantle a stage erected by her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), to protest alleged atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.

She had said, “You can all see the attack on the Bengali language. I hold no grudge against the Army — we are proud of them. But if the Army is misused to dismantle a political party’s stage, decorations, and microphones, it is unacceptable. They should have consulted the police first, as law and order fall under the Police Commissioner. The BJP is misusing government forces to forcibly dismantle our stage. This is not the Army — this is the BJP acting as a ‘chhupa rustam.’ The BJP cannot disrespect Kolkata Police.”

In an official statement, the Indian Army claimed that permission for the TMC’s protest had been granted for two days only, in line with Supreme Court directives that allow the Local Military Authority to clear events in the Maidan area for up to two days. Events lasting more than three days require approval from the Ministry of Defence.

Despite “repeated reminders” to dismantle the temporary structure, organisers allegedly kept it for almost a month, “forcing” the Army to inform Kolkata Police and remove it.