Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday imposed a ban on holding meetings and rallies at College Square following demand of Calcutta University students.
The area can well be regarded as the educational hub with Calcutta University, Presidency University, Hare School, Hindu School, Sanksrit Collegiate School and also the Calcutta Medical College & Hospital located just adjacent to College Square.
The chief minister who was interacting with students of Calcutta University welcomed the proposal from a research scholar at the administrative review meeting in Tarakeshwar, Hooghly. The student pointed out that they face difficulty with regular political programmes from various political parties at College Sqaure.
Empathising with the students, the chief minister said it was true that loudspeakers and sloganeering cause a lot of problem for the students. The chief minister immediately directed senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim, who was present at the meeting, to deliver the message to all her party leaders that there should be no political programme at the spot. “I will hope that all political parties will follow this. The next time there is any meeting then you students should stage demonstration,” she added.
“Come up with a law so as to enforce this, she said urging her director-general of police Surajit Kar Purakayestha to pass on the message to Kolkata police commissioner Rajiv Kumar. She also directed the students to submit their appeal in written format to Mr Kumar. Later in the evening, Kolkata police issued a directive saying processions, rallies, meetings or demonstrations will not be allowed at College Square from June 5 onwards, “only after observance of the necessary modalities”.
