Calcutta High Court today granted conditional permission to the DA protesters to staging dharna at the Nabanna bus terminus for three days beginning tomorrow till Sunday, while praising the state government for its effort to initiate discussions with the SLST aspirants staging dharna on the streets.

The Single Bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of Calcutta High Court, who the joint forum of Sangrami Mancha ~ spearheading the stir at the behest of state government employees for provision of Dearness Allowance (DA) at par with Central government employees ~ had moved seeking intervention to grant permission on staging dharna near the state secretariat at Nabanna after being denied permission by the Howrah city Police on the grounds of section 144 of the CrPC being in force, during a hearing today on the issue granted the forum permission to stage dharna at Nabanna bus terminus, though with a rider. Justice Mantha, while issuing the ruling granting the prayer of the protesters made it clear that the organiser shall have to restrict its dharna to not more than 300 attendees,

They shall also have to abide by rules of noise pollution and above all have to take care that the impact of its dharna shall not take a toll on the National Highway. The court also authorised the Howrah city police to take all necessary steps to maintain law and order during the programme.

On the state government’s objection to the said dharna contending that any demonstration at that place is not permitted, Justice Mantha asked the government counsel, what is wrong in staging dharna at Nabanna bus terminus if dharna was allowed at a place where prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC was in force?

Justice Mantha also made light of the objection aired by the state government counsel that nothing would be of gained by staging dharna. Justice Mantha observed that the state government’s effort to initiate talks with the job aspirants was admirable, noting that it took the initiative by holding talks with the aspirants staging dharna on the streets for so many days