A proposed rally by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee from Rajabazar to Park Circus in Kolkata faces a police block after Commissioner of Police Ajay Nanda said no formal application or official notice for the programme had been submitted to the police.
The rally was announced on Monday by the All India Trinamool Congress for 2pm on Tuesday. Banerjee is expected to join the march, while Trinamool Congress sources said Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh is responsible for organising it. Party workers from its student and youth wings have reportedly been directed to participate.
Nanda said the police had not received formal information about the proposed procession, including its starting point, destination or expected turnout. “The police have not received any official notice or application for this rally. Therefore, we do not know where it will start, where it will end or how many people will join. The police administration cannot work on the basis of social media posts or posters,” he said, according to Anandabazar – Kolkata.
The commissioner said organisers must follow a defined process before holding a public procession. This includes submitting an application, providing an estimate of the expected crowd and coordinating with the administration on traffic movement and the maintenance of law and order.
He also pointed to the additional pressure on Kolkata’s streets during the Durga Puja period, when the city experiences increased movement and heightened security requirements. Nanda said a programme organised without following the prescribed process could create traffic congestion and disorder, affecting members of the public. He added that the police would not permit such an event if the rules were not followed.
The issue escalated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the police commissioner to take firm action against the rally during the inauguration of a Durga Puja event at Park Street on Monday night. Adhikari has maintained that the procession should not be allowed to proceed from Rajabazar.
“I have instructed the CP that they will not be allowed to move even a single step from Rajabazar. I will ask the police to end it where it begins. If necessary, I have also asked for central forces to be deployed. They will not be allowed to cross. We will not allow any disorder during Durga Puja,” Adhikari said.
The proposed route connects Rajabazar and Park Circus, two densely populated areas with significant traffic movement and commercial activity. Any restriction, diversion or security deployment along the route could affect local movement, although the police commissioner’s statement did not specify a traffic plan or alternative routes.
The immediate dispute centres on whether the proposed rally has completed the formal permission process. The police said no application had been received, while Trinamool Congress sources indicated that the programme was planned for Tuesday afternoon. The police’s next action will determine whether the gathering is stopped at its proposed starting point or whether organisers submit the required information before the scheduled march.
