Political parties will no longer be allowed to hold law violation programmes while public meetings have been banned at the Metro channel in the heart of the metropolis, the Kolkata Police said today, with opposition parties vociferously protesting the decision.
"We told political parties not to organise law violation programmes for the time being. We had a constructive discussion," Commissioner of Kolkata Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha said after a meeting with political parties here.
Purakayastha said that the police did not have proper infrastructure to cope with law violation programmes.
He said that the police were trying to put in place infrastructure for law violations so that there was no untoward incident during such programmes.
Other political programmes including meetings and processions could be organised, he said.
"If we can execute it, it will be better for the citizens of the metropolis," he said.
He also announced a ban on holding meetings by political parties at the Metro channel at Esplanade in the heart of the city.
The opposition Congress, BJP and Left parties dubbed the decision undemocratic and unacceptable.
WBPCC president Pradip Bhattacharya held that law violation programmes were a democratic right of political parties and the party would continue with it.
"The (TMC) government wants to unleash a policy of suppression. We are not afraid. We cannot be browbeaten. We hold law violations peacefully and we don't disturb the people," he said.
"The consequences will not be good if they try to impose the decision," he said.
Dubbing it as a political decision, CPIM central committee member Md Selim said," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trampling on democracy using the police."
CPIM leader Rabin Deb said his party would go ahead with its law violation programme on May 31 as scheduled.
State BJP president Rahul Sinha also did not accept the decision.
"We have such a programme on June 1 and we will hold it," he said alleging that the Trinamool Congress government would not allow any political party to raise their voice.
