Calcutta HC refuses to entertain plea to defer Mamata Banerjee’s all-faith rally on January 22

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to entertain a petition filed by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari seeking to defer Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s interfaith rally scheduled for January 22, reported Bar and Bench.

On Tuesday, Banerjee announced that she would offer prayers at the Kalighat temple in Kolkata and then lead a mega Sampriti (religious harmony) rally on January 22, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the consecration ceremony for Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.

The Trinamool Congress chief said that the rally will cover mosques, temples, churches, and gurdwara from Hazra to the Park Circus ground.

Following this, Adhikari approached the High Court on Wednesday, stating that Banerjee’s rally could lead to a law and order situation in the state, and hence, should be postponed, reported The Indian Express.

“If not, there should be deployment of paramilitary forces in Bengal on January 22,” the petition demanded.

Hearing the petition on Thursday, a bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya asked the state government to ensure that there is no breach of peace or tranquillity during Banerjee’s rally.

“During the rally, no speech or utterances be made hurting the sentiments of a section of the people belonging to a particular religion or sect and this shall be scrupulously followed,” the bench...

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