Bengal LoP seeks Calcutta HC's permission to stage protest near DGP office

Kolkata: The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday, approached the Calcutta High Court seeking permission to organise a sit-in demonstration in front of the DGP's office against the incidents of post-poll violence in the state.

The matter is likely to come up for hearing at the single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha on June 25. Earlier, Adhikari had sought permission to hold the sit-in demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan in central Kolkata.

After being denied the police permission, he approached the bench of Justice Sinha. However, Justice Sinha advised him to choose an alternative venue to hold the same.

Finally, on Friday, he informed the court that he had decided to organise the sit-in demonstration in front of the office of the Director General of Police (DGP).

Adhikari had already clarified that his earlier decision to conduct the demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan was not meant to target the Governor on the issue of post-poll violence. “Last year, the ruling Trinamool Congress had organised a five-day protest in front of Raj Bhavan on another issue. Police gave them the requisite permission despite Section 144 being imposed there year-round. So we expected the police to permit us also,” the LoP said.

Already, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, after meeting Suvendu Adhikari and some victims of post-poll violence had issued a strong statement on the matter and claimed that he will see it through the end to end this menace.