Why BJP netas at veterans’ rally, asks HC, urges caution
Times of India | 13 September 2025
Kolkata: Taking a dim view of the fact that despite its orders BJP office-bearers attended the ex-servicemen's rally on Mayo Road on Sept 11, Calcutta High Court on Friday cautioned all parties that it was giving a "last chance" and would be forced to "take harsh steps" if rallies flouted court orders.
After the state appealed for contempt of court, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh said: "I am cautioning everybody, openly in court, irrespective of any political creed and colour. This is not anybody else conducting this rally; these are ex-servicemen. I tell you from my heart that I respect the emotion of ex-servicemen, irrespective of their alignment to any political party."
The HC said the rally was granted permission with a spirit that the ex-serviceman cell of BJP, who are deemed to be army personnel having a genesis of a disciplined force, were hurt by certain statements which they intended to protest.
"It would have been better if the participants had only been ex-servicemen," the court said.
"You tried to give an impression during the hearing the other day that the purpose of the dharna was to air the grievances of ex-servicemen. You didn't have any political agenda," Justice Ghosh told the counsel for the ex-servicemen, Billwadal Bhattacharya.
State counsel Swapan Banerjee placed photographs showing that one BJP office-bearer and another BJP neta were present at the dharna.
Bhattacharya claimed that the office-bearer left the spot after he came to know about the court order.
Banerjee also claimed that the list of attendees given to police had only 52 names, and there was no BJP neta or office-bearer. Bhattacharya produced another list which mentioned 250-plus names submitted to Maidan PS at 16:52 on Sept 11. Banerjee said by then the meeting was already over.
The HC found that some political personalities affiliated with BJP were present at the sit-in when the court had categorically debarred office-bearers of the party from taking part. Justice Ghosh said: "A petitioner can seek clarification from the court if he has confusion about the order. It would have been better had the congregation been of ex-servicemen only."