FIR filed against Mamata Banerjee over alleged violation of Calcutta HC order at TMCP rally

An FIR has been filed against former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged violation of conditions imposed by the Calcutta High Court for a meeting organised by the Trinamool Congress' student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), in Kolkata, police said.

The development comes a day after the TMCP held its foundation day rally in central Kolkata with conditional permission from the Calcutta High Court.

The court had allowed the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress to conduct the programme subject to certain conditions. Among them was a direction to restrict the gathering to one lane of the road and keep the other lane open for traffic movement.

However, it was alleged that the conditions were violated during the rally, with participants occupying both lanes and disrupting traffic movement.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had on Saturday alleged that the restrictions imposed by the High Court were openly violated and said he had directed police to register an FIR and approach the court over the matter.

“The Court clearly directed us to conduct the rally keeping one of the two lanes free for traffic movement. The former Chief Minister assembled people and blocked both the lanes. I have directed the police to register an FIR in the matter. I have also directed the police to approach the Calcutta High Court in the matter. The matter will not be taken so easily,” Adhikari told reporters.

Ritabrata Banerjee, leader of the “rebel” faction in the Trinamool Congress and the current Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, also accused Mamata Banerjee and her supporters of violating the court-mandated restrictions.

He alleged that the High Court had specified the maximum number of people permitted at the rally and directed organisers to keep the event confined to a single lane.

According to Ritabrata Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee was seen encouraging some supporters to break barricades separating the two lanes and occupy the entire stretch of the road.

“This kind of mentality is not something that can be easily brought out of her DNA,” he alleged.

There was no immediate reaction from the Mamata Banerjee-led faction following the registration of the FIR.

At the TMCP rally on Friday, Mamata Banerjee had launched an attack on the BJP-led state government and expressed confidence about the Trinamool Congress returning to power in West Bengal.

“The ordinary BJP supporters will teach their own party leadership a lesson soon. Very soon Trinamool Congress will return to power in West Bengal,” she had said.

The FIR marks a fresh escalation in the political confrontation surrounding the TMCP rally and the alleged breach of conditions imposed by the Calcutta High Court.

With IANS inputs