July 21 Martyrs’ Day Rally: Kalighat TMC moves Calcutta high court over ban on Victoria House gathering

The Kalighat faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court challenging the Kolkata Police’s decision to prohibit public gatherings at the party’s traditional venue outside Victoria House in Esplanade. This comes after the Ritabrata Banerjee camp of the party announced that it had secured police permission to observe Martyrs’ Day on July 21 at Mayo Road in the city.

The Mamata Banerjee loyalist camp has questioned why prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more persons had been imposed at Victoria House for nearly 60 days, a period that includes July 21, when the TMC traditionally observes Martyrs’ Day.

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The matter was mentioned before Justice Sougata Bhattacharyya by senior advocate and party MP Kalyan Banerjee, appearing on behalf of TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien. Banerjee argued that the Kolkata Police notification was “arbitrary” and “violative of fundamental rights”.

Justice Bhattacharyya granted permission to file the petition and the matter is likely to be heard on Wednesday.

Kolkata Police had recently issued a notification imposing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), banning the assembly of four or more persons in a large part of central Kolkata from July 2 to August 30. The restricted zone also includes the Victoria House area in Esplanade, where the Trinamool Congress had traditionally held its July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally until last year.

The developments come amid intensifying power struggle within the Trinamool Congress, which has split into two rival camps following the party’s internal crisis, with both factions staking claim to the party’s political legacy and organisational control.

While the Ritabrata faction has started preparations for the event after obtaining permission to hold the programme near the Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Mayo Road crossing, the Kalighat faction remains firm on holding the programme at its traditional venue outside Victoria House.