Ex-Army Veterans Get Court Nod for Kolkata Protest Against Mamata Banerjee’s Remarks
In a big win for retired defence personnel, the Calcutta High Court has allowed a peaceful protest in Kolkata on Thursday. The group is upset over comments by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which they see as insulting to the Indian Armed Forces. This comes after police initially denied them permission for the demonstration.
The matter reached the court’s single-judge bench led by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. After hearing the case on Wednesday, he greenlit the protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in central Kolkata. But there are strict rules: no more than 225 people can join, and it must happen between 12 noon and 5 pm. Justice Ghosh also made it clear—no BJP leaders or activists can show up during the event.
This protest stems from a heated incident last month. Indian Army personnel stepped in to dismantle a Trinamool Congress (TMC) stage in Kolkata’s Maidan area, which falls under the Eastern Command. The Army said the ruling party had permission for just two days but left the stage up for nearly a month, ignoring multiple reminders.
When the Army team arrived to take it down, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot. The soldiers finished their job and left soon after. But Mamata Banerjee and the TMC spun a different story. She claimed around 200 Army personnel fled the scene as soon as she got there.
"I asked them why they were running away. I told them they were my friends. It wasn’t their fault—they were just following orders from the BJP and Delhi," she said at the time.
These words didn’t sit well with a group of former defence personnel living in West Bengal. They formed an organisation and first asked Kolkata police for permission to protest at the Gandhi statue base against the Chief Minister’s remarks on the Indian Army. The police suggested another spot instead, so the veterans turned to the Calcutta High Court for help.
The court’s decision ensures the ex-servicemen can voice their concerns about derogatory remarks against the armed forces without any hassle. Stay tuned for updates on this Kolkata protest and the ongoing row between TMC and the Indian Army.
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